Going Last

Spiritual Training Cycle: Examination (wk. 12/13)

Reading: Philippians 2:1-11

Many community fitness gyms host a special workout on Saturdays. In our gym, this is known as the Saturday Community WOD. This workout is more than a workout – it’s an invitation to the broader community to come and see. Because this workout is open to the public, we normally have lots of visitors which can push class sizes into the 40’s. Coaches typically program these workouts with tons of equipment or stations, and to help lower the anxiety of guests, athletes will often partner up. All of this creates the perfect opportunity to embody a powerful spiritual principle evident in healthy community fitness gyms – the principle of going last.

Now, going last might sound like it flies in the face of fitness. After all, doesn’t fitness reward those who are first? Let me show you how it works. I partnered with Anthony, who is very fit. He pushed the pace for the two of us, and we were one of the earlier partner teams to finish the workout. As other teams finished their workout, several of the newer members and visitors around us started to pick up their equipment to put it away. And here was a great moment to both teach and embody the principle of going last – “Nobody puts equipment away until everybody is done.” Instead, we encourage the athletes who are still training. And then when everyone is finished, we start putting equipment away. Beginning with other athletes! That’s right – the principle of going last reinforces a key mindset in our spiritual lives – put others before yourself.

Full disclosure, not every community fitness gym practices the principle of going last. In some gyms, putting your equipment away first is like the alpha letting the rest of the pack know, “Today I am the victor.” But let’s be honest – what’s to be gained by going first? Not only is it somewhat a safety hazard to be walking in and around other athletes still exercising, but it’s also demoralizing to the community. Instead of inviting people to come as they are, going first tells them, “Well, you’re not here yet. Maybe your fitness will be this good one day, but not today.” The principle of going last is really a communal way of practicing self-control.

Paul articulates the principle of going last in his letter to the Philippians:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” — Philippians 2:3-4

How do we learn to look after the interests of others? We learn it in community. Waiting to put equipment away creates space for us to celebrate the work of others. It reminds us that encouragement is something we all need. When we put away someone else’s kettlebell, we’re recognizing the power of self-control. And those seemingly insignificant acts and moments of humility, added together, shape and form the kind of community people really want. So, the next time you’re in the gym, work on your spiritual physique by practicing the principle of going last.

Questions for Reflection

How can you do a better job of going last in your fitness community?

How can you do better with this principle beyond the gym?

Take Hold

Spiritual Training Cycle: Examination (wk. 11/13)

Reading: Matthew 16:21-27

There’s a quote I use when I hear the phrase, “I don’t think CrossFit is for me.” I will say, “CrossFit is for everyone, but not everyone is for CrossFit.” What's unique about CrossFit is the transaction that occurs when you join a gym where coaching is their service. If your gym can consistently deliver relentless coaching and encouragement, that transaction can easily supply the value of a membership. When you join a gym like this, you are deciding to lay down a part of your life to entrust it in the hands of another. CrossFit was intended to serve everyone but not everyone desires to be served in this way.

Why is this transaction rejected? I think it's because oftentimes we like things better in our own way. The thought of spending money for someone else to tell you what to do sounds absurd to some. Instead of coming under someone else’s leadership, we choose to lead ourselves. While it's commendable to pave your own path and learn on your own terms, there comes a point in anyone's life where guidance is necessary. We believe far too much in ourselves to be the ones to help ourselves. The interesting part is that unknowingly we are being led or controlled everyday by something or someone and that doesn’t always take us any closer to where we intend to go. I believe success begins when we surrender our control for something of greater value.

We have a self-control crisis. We think that what we are holding on to has more value than what we could ever give it away to. For many of us the thing of most significant value is our own lives. Every day we do things to try and make our lives easier, happier, or more fulfilling. What you value the most is also the thing you have the most fear of losing. It's the same fear that enters our mind when we think of the discipline, the hard work, and the sacrifice it would mean to join a gym and commit to our goals. What if we considered our lives the same way as signing up for coaching? Could you lay down your life to take up something greater? The first question I might ask is, "What could be greater than my own life?" The answer is, the Giver of life, Jesus.

Rather than a transaction of give and take, Jesus offers a relationship that gives us more life the more we give our loves away. He says in Matthew 16:24-25, speaking to all who would choose to put their trust in Him,

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."

To put it a different way, we are in the most control of our lives when we give that control to Jesus. We need to let go of the self-control where we try and grip life by our own hands and take hold of the self-control that surrenders everything into Jesus' hands. What do you have to lose? Well...everything. Verse 26 says,

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"

Many of us think that we are in control of our own lives, but what power do we have to save our own soul? Knowing that Jesus took the initiative in the ultimate sacrifice of His own life on the cross gives us confidence. Because death had no victory over Him, death has no victory over us. Because He could trust His life in the hands of the Father, we can trust our lives in Him as well.

Jesus is calling us to follow Him and that will mean letting go of our old life and taking on a new and far greater one. While everyone may not be for Jesus, Jesus is for everyone.

Questions for Reflection:

What’s the process of surrendering control to God been like for you?

What are some of the things you find yourself trying to control in your own strength?

Better

Spiritual Training Cycle: Examination (wk. 10/13)

Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

The journey of life is filled with choices, which is a wonderful thing. The freedom to choose is a good gift from our good God who loves us and created us in His image. Because you’re reading this, my assumption is that somewhere in your journey of life, you started another journey – your fitness journey. At some point you decided the movement of your physical body was a good choice, and you began to do that consistently through sport and/or exercise.

As the fitness journey continues, though, your choices begin to change. It’s not if you will work out, it’s how hard and how long. It’s not if you will eat healthy, it’s which food and combination of foods will take you where you want to go. The pursuit of fitness is all about learning to choose that which is better.

“The better choice” may be the simplest way to define our spiritual need for self-control. Too many people become hyper focused on avoiding the wrong choice. For them, self-control is a prison that limits their freedom. But quite the opposite is true. Self-control is the result of the righteous exercise of our godly freedom to choose. There’s more freedom in making the better choice than you might realize. That’s because there’s something better on the other side of self-control. Self-control is a better journey to a better destination.

In 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete to describe the Christian life. He explains that, just as an athlete trains their body to compete for a prize, we too must exercise self-control and discipline to fulfill our spiritual purpose.

Physical exercise requires focus and self-control. We must push ourselves to run that extra mile, lift that extra weight, and endure the discomfort that comes with it. Similarly, spiritual exercise requires us to exercise self-control in our thoughts, actions, and speech. We must resist the temptation to give in to our own desires and instead focus on the things that are pleasing to God. Pleasing God is the better choice.

Just as an athlete must train daily to become stronger and more agile, we must also develop the habit of exercising self-control in our daily lives. This means being intentional about our choices and actions and seeking to align them with God's will. We must train ourselves to respond with better choices such as patience, love, and kindness – even when it's difficult.

In verse 27, Paul speaks of disciplining his body and bringing it under control, so that he would not be disqualified from the race. He recognized the importance of self-control in achieving his spiritual goals, and he was willing to make sacrifices to attain them.

As followers of Jesus, we too must be willing to exercise self-control and discipline to achieve our spiritual goals. This requires a conscious effort to align our thoughts and behaviors with God's will, and to resist the temptations that would hinder our progress. It means developing the habit of daily prayer and meditation, seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance, and being purposeful about the choices we make.

In spiritual fitness, we define the end state, or ultimate outcome, as shalom, a richly textured Hebrew word meaning richness, fullness, flourishing, and completion. It is the expression of what it means to be deeply connected to God and to live in existence with Him. This is the better destination self-control takes us to. While eternity with God is the final destination for those whose faith rests in Jesus, self-control is the earth-bound side of that journey. Self-control draws us closer to God today. If you want to experience Heaven on earth, live a life full of choices pleasing to God. Live a life full of self-control.

Questions for Reflection

When is self-control easy for you? When is it difficult?

Why does self-control feel limiting? Is there freedom for you in self-control?