Life’s not about achievement.  It’s not about how many medals you (or your country) win.  Life’s about aligning yourself to God and to His will. That’s what matters most in the long haul.

“If Christians were putting into their spiritual walk the kind of discipline that athletes put into their chosen sport, the church would be pulsating with revival life. ”  –Warren Wiersbe

Olympic athletes are great examples of commitment, training, dedication, sacrifice, persistence, and burning desire for a worthy goal.  They can inspire us to be spiritual athletes — to take their example of striving for mastery and wholeheartedly apply it to following and obeying Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul appears to refer to the ancient Olympic Game in this quote:

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Paul of Tarsus also writes:  “Train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.  This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.  That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.  Command and teach these things.”

Are you spiritually training and competing to grow mighty in God.  Or are you a spiritual couch potato uninterested in exerting yourself for God?

Why not let the courageous athletes of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games inspire you to get off the bench and to give your, all for the rest of your life, to following and obeying Jesus Christ?

Are you looking for a place to train spiritually?  Come visit our spiritual training camp where people show and tell what God has done — The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center, 225 Berry St., Nashville, 37207 — Sunday mornings at 10:45 & Thursday nights at 6:30.