That’s a good question, BBC. The answer is that my motivation should come from my faith (at least in part), but I’m wondering to myself whether it does…
I am an unusual person in that I think doing a triathlon, a duathlon, and a track and field intramural meet in the same week with push-ups and sit-ups in between is a fun way to spend my time. (I have experienced the frustration of injuries in the past and am very grateful for the gift of health God has given me).
But if I was not in the army and did not enjoy competing in sports, I think I would find some motivation in what Paul told Timothy in I Timothy 4:8 “For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things…”
My discipler used to be a college soccer player and two years ago he could run circles around me on the soccer field. Now he’s sacrificed a bit of fitness for devotion to intense full time ministry, a wife and a baby. He still stays in decent shape, but he’s not the elite athlete he once was. The Lord has rewarded him with spiritual blessings for stepping back in the athletic area. Some day I would like to follow in his foot steps to full time ministry. I know that I won’t always be 25 years old, and I won’t always be doing triathlons and ultimate frisbee games back to back, but I think exercising in moderation gives you more energy and the Lord blesses the exercise and discipline.
JasonBuursma
Jun 24 2003
08:28 pm
That’s a good question, BBC. The answer is that my motivation should come from my faith (at least in part), but I’m wondering to myself whether it does…
I am an unusual person in that I think doing a triathlon, a duathlon, and a track and field intramural meet in the same week with push-ups and sit-ups in between is a fun way to spend my time. (I have experienced the frustration of injuries in the past and am very grateful for the gift of health God has given me).
But if I was not in the army and did not enjoy competing in sports, I think I would find some motivation in what Paul told Timothy in I Timothy 4:8 “For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things…”
My discipler used to be a college soccer player and two years ago he could run circles around me on the soccer field. Now he’s sacrificed a bit of fitness for devotion to intense full time ministry, a wife and a baby. He still stays in decent shape, but he’s not the elite athlete he once was. The Lord has rewarded him with spiritual blessings for stepping back in the athletic area. Some day I would like to follow in his foot steps to full time ministry. I know that I won’t always be 25 years old, and I won’t always be doing triathlons and ultimate frisbee games back to back, but I think exercising in moderation gives you more energy and the Lord blesses the exercise and discipline.