Spiritual Training Cycle: Foundation (wk. 5/13)
In July of 2013, a few months into my new journey of faith, I was given a challenge by my pastor – find a life verse. A life verse is a passage of Scripture intended to encourage and support you. But being new to faith, I had no idea where to start. I mean, the Bible, obviously, but do I just turn to Genesis and start reading?
Perplexed by the challenge, I set my assignment to the side and fixed my eyes instead on something that was also new to me – the CrossFit Games. Elite athletes from around the world took center stage to compete for the title of, “Fittest on Earth.” And one guy was dominating the scene. His name was Rich Froning. Rich had a knack for winning and a propensity for competing shirtless, which would end up working to my advantage. As he pushed a heavy barbell overhead, I noticed a tattoo on his right lat – Galatians 6:14.
“Wait a second,” I thought. “That’s a Bible verse.” I grabbed my Bible, fumbled around, and finally found it.
May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
The tears streamed down my face as I locked in my first life verse. I was inspired.
Scripture changes our lives. And my first real experience with that would come via Galatians 6:14. At that time, my identity, my boast, if you will, was found in my work and my accomplishments: CrossFit gym owner, fit athlete, coach, plus the performance accolades I had gathered along the way. But God had a different plan for me. He wanted my identity to be found in Him. And Galatians 6:14 would become the catalyst for it all. As I became inspired to go deeper in my faith journey, I would realize that Scripture is the foundation of spiritual fitness.
The Bible inspires us because the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Over the course of about 1500 years, the Spirit of God inspired approximately 40 writers to create what we know as the Bible. That’s incredible! And at just the right time, God’s Word will inspire you.
God’s Word inspires during difficulty
There will be moments in your spiritual fitness journey where you’ll wonder if it’s worth it. Some obstacles you face will seem insurmountable. Let God’s Word inspire you to keep going. Breakthrough is oftentimes on the other side of break down. When the difficulty comes and hope seems lost, get a fresh word from God and keep moving!
God’s Word inspires dreams
That amazing imagination you have is no accident. But rather than using it to figure out how to get rich or exact revenge, let God’s Word use your imagination to inspire a dream. A dream to help the needy. A dream to restore a relationship. A dream to step into something new. Scripture has inspired some incredible dreams that the world thought were crazy – until they came to fruition. God has a great plan for you so open your mind to His reality for your life.
God’s Word inspires desires
If you want to change what you do, you must change what you think. That’s where the real transformation happens. And God’s Word can do that. As I read Galatians 6:14 day after day, my measures of success in life changed. I cared less about myself and more about others. I valued relationships over achievements. And I placed God at the center of everything I did. My boast was no longer in me. My boast was in Jesus.
Questions for Reflection:
What has God’s Word inspired you to do in the past?
What is God’s Word inspiring you to do right now?