Stuff

Spiritual Training Cycle: Submission (wk. 8/13)

Reading: Matthew 19:16-22

Right now, there are four kettlebells and a very expensive Rogue pull-up bar outside our back door (along with a strange piece of equipment that looks like a cross between a foam roller and a stegosaurus). None of them are being used – to be honest, they haven’t gotten much use since they were purchased. We've all been there, spending hard-earned money on dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells and more, only to have them gather dust in the bedroom or rust in the backyard.

The next shiny thing

The promise of a more effective workout or a quicker path to our fitness goals gets us in trouble at times. Just search for “Peloton” on Facebook marketplace to see how many of us had good intentions that never panned out. We’re all guilty of wasting money on equipment we never used quite like we thought we would.

The Quest for Simplicity – in fitness and in our spiritual lives

The real question at times is, “what are we hiding from when we gather up too much stuff?” Simplicity offers an alternative path—a chance to break free from the cycle of collecting unnecessary things. However, this principle is not primarily a fitness principle. Living a simple life – one uncluttered with performance anxieties or false expectations – is at the heart of living free in God’s love.

Whether you're a dedicated CrossFit athlete, an avid runner, or a fitness enthusiast in any discipline, finding balance and embracing a simpler way of life can have profound benefits. The story about Jesus and the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-21 is a story about simplicity. It offers insights for us regarding both our physical and our spiritual fitness journeys.

The Story of the Rich Young Ruler

In this short story, we encounter a thought-provoking account of a young man who approached Jesus seeking guidance on finding true fulfillment. Despite his wealth and possessions, he knew he was still missing something. When Jesus advises this wealthy young man to let go of his possessions, He emphasized for all of us the importance of freeing ourselves from anything that holds us back.

Letting Go of Stuff

As athletes, this challenges us to reevaluate our material possessions, our personal accomplishments – even our own self-image. True freedom and simplicity are found in releasing these attachments and embracing a mindset that extends beyond physical achievements.

Simplicity also invites us to rediscover the joy in the basics. Often, the best workouts require minimal equipment. Bodyweight exercises - push-ups, squats, pull-ups and planks - can be incredibly impactful for building strength and endurance. In the same way, cutting through the complexities that get in the way of our spiritual lives and practicing the simple acts of reading about Jesus, talking to Jesus and talking about Jesus with others on the journey can help us live simple but profound spiritual lives. Ultimately, simplicity allows us to reclaim our focus – spiritually and physically.

Questions for Reflection:

Reflect on a time when you found joy in simplicity during your fitness journey. What was it about that experience that resonated with you? How can you replicate or expand upon that simplicity in other areas of your life for greater overall well-being?

What lessons have you learned about your own tendencies and preferences? How can you incorporate these insights into a simpler and more intentional approach to your spiritual (and fitness) journey?

Habit Forming

Spiritual Training Cycle: Submission (wk. 7/13)

Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

When I first entered the world of fitness and bodybuilding, I remember day one being the absolute hardest. At the start of my quest for physical fitness, I had to wake up early to get in a workout. I struggled to hit snooze no less than five times before I got up. I had to come up with some simple ways to make it happen. So, I made it harder to hit snooze from bed by moving the alarm across the room. I kept my caffeinated pre-workout next to my bed to drink immediately. And I even wore my workout clothes TO BED. These were simple tricks to build the habit of waking up early. What I was beginning to learn is that simplicity helps build new habits.

Building new habits requires that we recognize the old habits no longer serve our bigger purpose. Old habits are born out of repetition and it’s too easy to resort back to them. One of my old bad habits was eating multiple Domino’s Pizzas in a day, multiple times per week. To build the new habit of cooking my own food, I had to simplify the process of cooking. Domino’s no longer served me; I served myself something better.

Spiritually speaking, identifying our old habits can be much more difficult. One habit Jesus uncovers for us is our habit of worry. Within our worry is the feeling of being stuck, overwhelmed by things we can’t control, problems we can’t solve, and unknown challenges lurking within every shadow of the world. Our worries include unemployment, marital struggles, financial crisis, health scares, and societal division. All these worries are complex and require so much of our emotional and spiritual energy. How do we break free from the complexity of our worry? Where can we find simplicity to overcome these struggles?

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus offers us a glimpse at His perspective by inviting us to look at nature through the birds and flowers. This aspect of nature is free from worry and focused on simple things. Nature represents God’s creation and His control of it. The first step in simplifying our worry is to remind ourselves of Who is in control. When we remember that God is in control, we can distance ourselves from our habit of worry. God is in control, so give God our worry. Simplicity in practical terms is creating distance from the old to make way for the new.

Once we begin to distance ourselves from our worries, we have room to build a new habit. The old habit is worry; the new habit is… what exactly? Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 6:33 saying, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The new habit is seeking God first and putting connection with Him at the center of our focus. Worry no longer serves us; God serves us something better. The spiritual exercise of simplicity challenges us to remove the things that distract or distance us from God. The secret to new routines is identifying and removing the old ones. There we will find new levels of both physical and spiritual fitness.

The new morning routine allowed me to build the habit of going to the gym. The new habit of cooking allowed me to walk away from the old habit of high calorie pizza delivery. The new habit of seeking God first replaced the old habit of being stuck in my worry. God is in control; I give God my worry. This new habit is born out of simplicity. Because simplicity helps build new habits.

Questions for Reflection:

What are the complex issues you face that you can simplify to make room for God?

What does “God’s righteousness” mean to you? What are some ways that seeking God’s righteousness first has yielded positive results?

Well-Rested

Spiritual Training Cycle: Submission (wk. 6/13)

Reading: Philippians 4:4-13

I remember my first de-load week. Back then, I used to design my own workouts, relying on ideas from magazines and the internet. Every program I read emphasized the importance of taking a break in the training cycle to rest and recover. Eager to excel in my fitness, I saw these weeks as opportunities to get ahead of those that needed rest. After all, I was young, eager, fit, and arrogant.

Eventually, I learned the hard way that my body had different plans. It stopped responding to my training, and my performance suffered. The impressive post-workout pump I used to flaunt was nowhere to be found. Frustrated and desperate, I did something I had sworn I would never do – I took a whole week off. Initially, it felt strange to be away from the gym, and I worried about losing my gainZ (yes, spelled with a "z" back then). Yet, surprisingly, that break proved beneficial. I slept better, felt rejuvenated, had a more positive attitude, and my muscles finally got the recovery they needed.

Since that experience, I've learned the value of regular de-loading, though nowadays, I prefer to take a more active approach. Overtraining can be detrimental to both the body and the mind, leading to issues like poor physical performance, hormone imbalances, mood swings, and even muscle mass and strength loss.

In fact, overtraining extends beyond the realm of fitness. Our lives are constantly under pressure too. Sometimes, we fail to recognize the true weight of it until we step away for a break. I've noticed that the first few days of vacation are just about decompression. We need to practice and be intentional about de-loading our lives because it's just as important as easing off our training load.

Life, like any sport, involves stress and pressure. We challenge ourselves in various aspects, whether it's work, relationships, responsibilities, or hobbies, putting our minds and souls under immense pressure to grow and improve. Similar to our bodies responding to de-loading in fitness, our lives need moments of relief to recharge and become stronger.

Taking breaks is one approach, but it often leaves us feeling fatigued shortly after returning to our usual routines. Another more effective option is to simplify our lives through the spiritual exercise of simplicity. Simplicity is letting go of unnecessary complexities and distractions in order to deepen your connection to God. Just like a simplified workout routine can lead to a well-rested body, simplifying our daily lives can lead to a well-rested soul.

Think back to a time when we had only a few TV channels to choose from. Picking something to watch was a breeze, and if nothing caught your interest, you'd find something else to do quickly. Now, with an overwhelming number of streaming services and thousands of options, decision-making becomes time-consuming and draining. This complexity and abundance of choices reduce the time and freedom we have to enjoy something as simple as watching TV.

Now imagine applying this complexity to your entire life – countless meetings, practices, meetups, hobbies, to-do lists, personal development pursuits, and more. Each brings its own stress and pressure, adding weight to our daily experience. When we practice simplicity, we’re saying “no” to more so that there is more left over for us. Simplicity creates margin in our souls that we can use for more important things like family, friends, and of course, our relationship with God.

Yet, despite the opportunity for more space for our souls, many of us find it difficult to say "no" to more. We keep piling on responsibilities, commitments, and experiences without realizing how it affects us in the long run. Simplifying our lives may seem daunting, but it is a powerful way to ensure our souls stay rested and our overall well-being thrives. The idea of saying “no” to more is difficult because we fear missing out or falling behind. But in the end, de-loading the soul may be just the active recovery your spiritual life needs. And simplicity can take you there.

Questions for Reflection:

When have you experienced a de-load moment, personally or professionally? What stands out to you about that experience?

What would you do with a more restful soul?

What is an area of life that you should start saying “no” to more?