My Journey With Jesus Has Been A Lot Like Spiritual Circuit Training
My Journey With Jesus Has Been A Lot Like Spiritual Circuit Training
I woke up this morning with circuit training on my mind. I thought about how our spiritual growth and development parallel circuit training for the physical body, then I remembered Jesus circuit training in Mark 6:6.
“And He marveled because of their unbelief.
Then He went about in a circuit, teaching.”
Mark 6:6
I believe Jesus circuit trains us. But before we go there, let me share a bit about my life growing up.
Growing up my mother was a physical education coach. She was a strong woman, athletically inclined, and always exercising. She spent all day teaching high school PE classes, exercised with every class, and then came home and exercised again. How she placed high value on her physical health, paid off for her and rubbed off on me.
My mom is now 93, still lives at home alone, and spends most of her days praying for her family. That is my legacy and I am most thankful for all that Mom passed down and continues to pass down to her family.
While I wasn’t a strong ball player like my mom, I learned the value of exercise in keeping my physical body healthy and strong. One type of working out is circuit training. In circuit training, you have a series of exercises, usually with weights, and you go in a specific order doing a designated amount of repetitions of each. Once you complete all the exercises, you repeat that same circuit at least one or two more times.
Developing Our Personal Faith
Spiritual circuit training is about building, strengthening, growing, and developing in our personal faith which makes us more and more spiritually healthy. Ultimately as true Christians, we know God called us to give away what we have been given and lead others to live out of a spiritually healthy faith as well. Some components of spiritual circuit training include, our personal faith, personal situations, people, prayer, God’s Word (the Bible), and ourselves.
We often use the word believe to express our faith. So many times, people say, “just believe” or use words like, “I believe,” or “I am a believer” to explain their faith. These words can and do reveal faith to a degree, but those words alone fall short. We want to define the placement of our faith. I want people to know that I believe Jesus. My hope and faith center on Jesus, His word, and His work.
Now, as we think about our faith, we need to remember:
“God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Romans 12:3
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.”
Ephesians 4:7
Paul spoke both of those statements to believers in Jesus. So, we understand that God gave us all a measure, meaning a portion measured off, of faith. We can stop right here and say, Thank You Lord for giving us a measure of faith. But, that initial dose of faith God gave us, He gave us to grow.
Spiritual Growth
Think about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. The master of the story gave a measure of his goods to his servants with the expectation that when he returned, their measure would have grown. Jesus emphasized the importance of growth by further explaining the demise of the one who hid his goods in the ground. He called that servant wicked and lazy. In Matthew 25:30 Jesus stated that the unprofitable servant would be cast into outer darkness.
Now, that is strong language, and honestly none of us really like it, but Jesus said it nonetheless. We need to realize that Jesus spoke, even those harsh words of truth, out of love. How loving would it be if God gave us no warning of His expectations? God’s expectation is spiritual growth of the faith of His followers.
Before we move on, let’s make sure we don’t get tripped up by thinking that this is about works. Works will not save us, only our faith in Jesus, but out of true faith in Jesus, comes a compelling for more. First and foremost, let’s recognize spiritual circuit training that leads to growth in our faith happens in and through a daily personal journey with Jesus.
Personal Situations
God uses personal situations in our lives to grow us spiritually. Sometimes He intended those situations to increase our faith muscle and sometimes they point to areas of weakness we need to work to develop. Throughout the course of my twenty-seven years walking with Jesus, I notice instances where similar circumstances or difficulties keep coming back around.
Think about those situations you struggle with in your Christian journey. What keeps coming up? What happened years ago that you thought you were done with the first time it happened, and still today you see elements of that initial struggle routinely pop up in your life?
I call that spiritual circuit training. In relationship with Jesus, each time we face circumstances that parallel in some way. Jesus uses them to train us and develop our faith.
I believe the only way we get beyond those repeat conditions is to look deeper. Many times, when things happen “to us” we allow our inner victim a place to stand. This never positions us for spiritual growth, but sets us up to go around the mountain over and over again.
Therefore, we seek Jesus for the lessons He wants to teach us. Look for the areas of our life that He wants to change and transform. Looking deeper means taking an honest evaluation of ourselves, of our part in the situations, and yes, taking ownership or responsibility for our part. We live in a world that avoids responsibility and taking ownership of our part in our difficulties. Consequently, freedom from the repeat remains unattainable.
Current Discomfort = Glorious Returns
What I present to you today most probably will strain and stress you for a season, but the outcome is worth the current discomfort.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18
Trust me when I say, I speak from experience. I have had my own mountains I circled a few too many times. However, I also believe the particular mountain I refer to stands behind me, not beside me, or in front of me any longer. Even still, I want you to hear me speak as a person who hasn’t arrived, but continues to move forward.
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Philippians 3:12– TNIV
In conclusion, I stand in agreement with Paul when he said we can be:
“confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work
in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians1:6
Dear Sister in Christ, I pray you are encouraged to grow in Your faith. But if you need more guidance in silencing the victim within, check out these past 2 blogs:
Much Love and Blessings!