Just reach out and take it already...
I have become determined this week to start working out again. I'm doing a kind of Crossfit-at-home kind of thing (Crossfit is all the rage here in Charlotte...) and thus far, in all two days I have been doing the workouts, it is kicking my booty. But I kind of like hurting as I climb stairs or sit down in my car...when I know I deserve to hurt. There's nothing like hurting when you made the choice to hurt.
Last night while reading I was struck by a scripture that convicted me even more in my determination to exercise - 2 Timothy 1:7 says, For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. If I'm in the Spirit, self-discipline is something that He gives me. It's handed out to me - and I have to claim it. That makes it a choice, just like walking in the power and love of the Holy Spirit. It's not just going to come naturally to roll out of bed and do situps and pushups. The choice has to be made - my will has to be exercised (pardon the pun...)
The deep things of God have to be reached out and taken. You can acknowledge you need to work out all day long, but just saying, "Yeah...working out is awesome..." is not going to tone those abs up. In the same way, you can acknowledge that there is power, love and self-discipline to be found in the Holy Spirit - but if you don't take what He is offering to give you, what good is it? In my mind it is a tragedy - a tragedy that was my own for a long time - to be a professed believer in Jesus and not claim what is rightfully mine in Him: power, love, self-discipline and so many deeper and even more wonderful things of God.
-HK
Last night while reading I was struck by a scripture that convicted me even more in my determination to exercise - 2 Timothy 1:7 says, For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. If I'm in the Spirit, self-discipline is something that He gives me. It's handed out to me - and I have to claim it. That makes it a choice, just like walking in the power and love of the Holy Spirit. It's not just going to come naturally to roll out of bed and do situps and pushups. The choice has to be made - my will has to be exercised (pardon the pun...)
The deep things of God have to be reached out and taken. You can acknowledge you need to work out all day long, but just saying, "Yeah...working out is awesome..." is not going to tone those abs up. In the same way, you can acknowledge that there is power, love and self-discipline to be found in the Holy Spirit - but if you don't take what He is offering to give you, what good is it? In my mind it is a tragedy - a tragedy that was my own for a long time - to be a professed believer in Jesus and not claim what is rightfully mine in Him: power, love, self-discipline and so many deeper and even more wonderful things of God.
-HK
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