“Train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better promising benefits in this life and in the life to come” – 1 Tim 4:7-8
Six weeks ago I embarked on a journey at the gym with a personal trainer to become a bit fitter and stronger in preparation for overseas travel and a holiday with all of our adult children.
This has been an interesting and unnatural journey for me as I have resisted training for anything physical in my life apart from a bit of semi regular walking and some yoga/pilates classes. I have participated in cycle events or tramps over the years mostly for the people involved or other ulterior motives and have just expected my body to be up to the task.
However, as I age I find my body is less reliable in this way and so some more intensive training has been necessary. I have been shocked to discover how difficult this is, how weak I am, how much time this takes and how very little physical difference there seems to be for the amount of pain experienced!
Physical discipline is often compared to spiritual discipline. Paul is encouraging Timothy as a young man to train himself in godliness. He uses a physical metaphor to describe the rigour and persistent training required to live a godly life. Of course this discipline is not a requirement for salvation or acceptance by God but is an invitation to participate in a life of closeness with God and longevity in Christian leadership.
Just as attention and training of the physical body will result in strength and fitness, so will attention to spiritual practices result in Godly reflexes and reactions that reflect Christ. However this process involves consistent practice and time and a discovery of our own weakness and dependence on God our trainer. Sometimes there is also significant pain that is invisible to anyone other than God.
Paul wants Timothy to persevere in his faith and to finish well so he encourages him to start his training in his youth so that he will be able to echo Paul toward the end of his life. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7
Catherine Perich