Christian Living

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For the past few months, I have been working out on a treadmill. Much to my surprise, I have been faithful at this workout but naturally there are some differences between walking on a treadmill and walking outside on the street or on a track.

The first thing about a treadmill is that a workout is convenient. My wife will tell you that I'm big into convenience. If it's convenient, then I'm probably going to do it. I can workout on the treadmill at any time of the day, in any kind of weather (except for lightning) and wear any kind of clothing it doesn't even have to match either! No fancy Reeboks or Nike gear for me!

In contrast to my physical workout on the treadmill, I wonder sometimes if I'm not being too convenient in my service to Christ. Will I only do things that are easy and don't require me to step out on faith? It's easy to walk in places that I can see spiritually. Staying within the four walls of the church is convenient but am I willing to greet my new neighbors across the street and be prepared to share Christ with them if they don't know Him already? That's not convenient. In fact, it's pretty scary. No one likes hardship or rejection. If you've ever read about the life of Paul you see that his life was anything but convenient. During his ministry, Paul was beaten, shipwrecked,imprisoned many times, and went without food or sleep on more occasions than he could count. (2 Corinthians 11:16-33) He certainly wasn't able to enjoy the type of ministry that some television personalities do today.

The most obvious thing about a treadmill is that you never get anywhere! You may "go" three miles on the workout but you constantly stay in the same spot. Some would define that as being consistent but what good is consistent if you don't go anywhere? Is that a mirror of my own Christian life too? I may do all the things that I'm supposed to do but am I going anywhere or just staying in the same place? I often find a time of reflection when I question whether or not I have accomplished my life's mission. Unfortunately, I respond to this self-examination with a negative answer. I haven't fulfilled the mission that Christ has given me. Sure, I go to church on Sundays but that's nothing compared to the mission that Christ has given you and me. God isn't going to give me a certificate for sitting on a pew in church on Sundays. That doesn't qualify me for the "good and faithful servant" status. The one and only true measure of our mission is to share Christ and encourage others. Everything else falls short.

None of us wants to be guilty of "having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5) I don't want the label of being a "Christian". I want to live it! It has got to be real! I have played the "churchy role" and it doesn't cut it. If there is no life in Christ, there's no need to pretend otherwise.

The treadmill I use has a feature where you can plug in a compact disc (CD) and an instructor will guide you through the workout you have selected. Although the person isn't actually in the room, you feel a sense of responsibility to finish the workout and push through the difficult parts.

Anytime you mention the Holy Spirit, many immediately brand you as a "fanatic" or a "holy roller" but the Holy Spirit was sent to us to be more than an emotional . He is a gift given to mankind to guide us in our walk with Christ. Whether or not you admit His existence, you can't make it in life without Him. (John 14:26; 16:13) If it were not for the Holy Spirit, we wouldn't have any help in living for Christ in this world. He will encourage you and help you press through.

Regardless of what od you use in working out, you need as much discipline when you get off of the treadmill than when you are on it. I have found that it might be a great accomplishment to burn 300 or more calories but if I go out and get a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries, this isn't helping me. I have to be as focused with my workout off the treadmill as I am when I'm on it. This means that I should cut back on the junk food.

Spiritually, we might do all the things we're supposed to do. We go to church, teach Sunday School, volunteer for special projects but when we leave that "church" atmosphere, how are we living? It's easy to live right when you are joining in on your favorite praise and worship song. Everyone is singing, the choir is on key and the music is jamming but when we leave church do we go back to life as usual or does that dictate our lifestyle away from church? Living for Christ is more than a show for people at church. It is a lifestyle change. People who go to church on Sunday and then go to work on Monday with little evidence that they are Christians are people who need a lifestyle makeover. It must be a focused effort. Just as I'll never reap the benefits of working out on the treadmill if I allow junk food to fill those calories I burn up, a Christian must avoid fill their lives with the world's junk food and fill it with more of God. What does this mean? It means listen to Christian music instead of secular music on the radio, watch less television, and affect your non-Christian friends instead of letting them affect you and any other changes that lead to a life dedicated to God.

Occasionally I will get on the scales to see how much weight I have lost. Sometimes I find that I have lost one or two pounds while other times I find that I have lost no weight or have gained some weight. I've learned that I should pay less attention to what the scales say and just continue pressing along with my workouts.

You and I may not think our lives are making much of difference to anyone but the reality is that many times our lives are having a much more affect on others than we realize. People are watching us. They want to know if it's real or if it's just a bunch of hype. I want my life to be a reflection of Him, not hype. Let's just live the life daily and press along in this work for our Lord. We can't get on our spiritual scales now and determine how our life has been lived. We don't see the whole picture or the lives we have touched. It doesn't matter where you are; your life can impact someone. Don't let your environment affect how you impact those around you. When Paul and Silas were in prison, they didn't complain about their physical but they rejoiced in their spiritual freedom in Christ. (Acts 16:16-40) Instead of complaining about our physical situation, let's rejoice that we are no longer in to sin.

Instead of staying on the spiritual treadmill and wondering if anything is ever going to change, get into action and let the Spirit of God ignite your passion. Don't try to figure it out, just put your trust in Him and move forward to accomplish your life's mission.

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