Do Hard Things

I'm beginning a new exercise practice today -- P90X -- Extreme Home Fitness. I've been a gym guy; but the truth is I've never regularly liked going. It's been mostly about discipline. So I want to take a shot at something new that may be more useful, more convenient, and less expensive. And since my gym membership has expired, this seems a fine time for the change.

The pic is of my daughter's "exercise mat". She wants to help Daddy work out. And since I have a mat, she must have one also. Her mat is unoccupied because about 9 seconds into the workout she informed me she needed a drink and a snack. She's 4, so it's not a huge deal. But it caused me to think about how often I avoid hard things -- the physical for sure, but also the spiritual. Not unlike the physical realm, spiritual progress requires regular exertion. The Apostle Paul told Timothy to train himself for the purpose of godliness. Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the life to come (1 Ti 4:6-8). 

Training in godliness means not only employing the spiritual disciplines, but having the hard conversations and hard confrontations. It means cultivating the humility that receives sound correction (Ja 4:1-12), and cultivating the love that gives it (Ga 6:1-3). Jesus said that His way of life is the "compressed way" (Mt 7:13-14). But it's also the liberating way, producing a particular kind of ease and rest (Mt 11:28-30; cf Ga 5:1). The Christian life is hard, but it's not Jesus that makes it that way. It's me, and my sinfulness. The way of Jesus is the way of the light burden (Mt 11:28-30; cf 1 Jn 5:3).