Deep Breath

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

Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

After a workout, athletes have their own routines for what comes next. Some fall straight to the ground, hearts pumping out of their chests, grateful they are still alive. Others go immediately into cleanup mode, with their minds already focused on getting home but not before helping coach get ready for the next class. And some just stop – while time seems to stand almost still, they walk outside or find a quiet corner and begin a time of reflection. As they process some of what’s happened and consider the day to come, they breathe in all life has to offer by taking a deep breath.

All breathing is not the same. There’s the breathing you don’t notice, the autonomic breathing, responsible for the constant supply of oxygen and the discharge of carbon dioxide. There’s the rapid breathing during exercise. Those moments where the speed of your breathing increases like a ride up an escalator. Try as you might, the only way to bring the breathing back down is a brief rest between sets or rounds. Then there’s deep breathing. The kind of breathing that slows the heart rate, centers your thoughts, and like I said earlier, makes the world feel as though it slows down. Deep breathing is the beginning of the spiritual exercise of meditation.

Before I define what meditation is, let me tell you what it’s not. Meditation, which in this context is the meditation practiced in the Bible, is not emptying the mind of all thoughts. Meditation is not learning to think about nothing. Nor is meditation self-focused. Biblical meditation is a focus on God, His Works, or His Word, and a deep reflection on His truths. The ancient practice of meditation often included an activity that was done aloud, such as reading or reciting Scripture. Keep in mind that in the ancient world almost all reading was done out loud. The idea of meditation is to become absorbed in the fabric of God with the end goal of turning the thoughts about His truths into actions evidenced in your life.

In today’s passage, God gives the new leader of Israel some instructions. The Lord says to Joshua –

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8

Meditating on God’s Word internalizes it in our hearts so we can externalize it with our actions. All this month, I want to challenge you to breathe deep. Breathe deep in God’s Creation. Spend time in nature observing the truths of God as you wonder and marvel at all He has done and continues to do. Breathe deep in God’s Word. Take a passage of Scripture, or just one verse, and read it aloud. As you re-read it, begin to think about where and how it applies to your life. And finally, breathe deep in the Lord. Take moments throughout the week to slow down and create space to simply exist with God.

Meditation is not some new-age practice focused on how you make a better version of you. Meditation is the exercise of learning to breathe deep in the things of God and allowing them to transform you into the person God’s designed you to become. Fill your heart with the Works, the Word, and the presence of God, and you’ll see truth in a whole new way.

Questions for Reflection:

What’s been your own personal experience with meditation?

How does God’s instruction to Joshua speak to your own heart?

Demonstrate

Spiritual Training Cycle: Foundation (wk. 5/13)

Reading: 1 John 4:7-12

“Here, let me show you.” Working with athletes is amazing. I love that they come from different backgrounds each with different abilities and goals, yet they are all united by the pursuit of fitness. As a coach, I must help each athlete learn positions, movements, and skills, which requires a wide variety of techniques. If someone is to become a great coach, they must commit themselves to a life of study and training. We study, we train, then we coach. Along the way, coaches amass an array of verbal cues to establish and correct. We use these cues with groups as well as with individuals. Even with all the cues I have in my arsenal, many times the best thing to do is demonstrate.

To goal of a demonstration is simple – One who knows how to do something shows others through action. Action is key in demonstration. Think how many home cooks have been born out of the Food Network. Millions of people, including me, would tune in nightly to see what Emeril Lagasse or Bobby Flay was cooking up. We learned to do something by watching these chefs do it themselves.

Demonstration is also a critical component of the fitness journey. And I know because I’ve encountered plenty of athletes with poor habits. When those knees dive in during the squat, I cringe on the inside. And the story is often the same. They read some article on how to squat or someone in a gym tried to explain a squat, but it just didn’t connect. If I tell them to spread the floor with their feet, they’re going to look at me like I’m crazy. I need to show them. The genesis point of a new habit is good demonstration.

One of the areas of our life where we face a similar struggle is learning to love. By show of hands, how many of you grew up in a perfect home full of nothing but love all the time? Liars, put your hands down. I’m kidding obviously, but the reality for many people is they did not see a good demonstration of love as they were growing up. Some of you lived in homes where there was no love, little love, or tough love. Others of you were raised in homes where love was weaponized, it was withheld as a punishment tool. And unfortunately, there’s no class in High School or College that teaches us to love. Instead, like the athlete with the poor squat, we read books or talk to friends. What we need is a demonstration. The good news is that God is the great Demonstrator of love.

All of humanity is loved by God – including you! God loves you deeply and fully. And He demonstrates His love for you through His actions. Let’s start with grace. Grace essentially guarantees you that there isn’t anything you can do to make God stop loving you. God’s love for you is always on. His love is so great it pursues you. God has been in pursuit of you since the day you were born. His love is demonstrated by His willingness to meet you with love whenever and wherever you are. And His love is sacrificial. God sent His Son Jesus as a demonstration of His love for us. When Jesus defeated death, it made a way for those who put their faith in Him to defeat death as well. God’s sacrifice is a demonstration of His love.

Let me encourage you to apply these to your love life. Learn to love others with grace. Simply put, love others as God loves you. His love is patient, kind, gentle, and enduring. Let your love be the same. Learn to pursue those you love. Don’t turn your love off just because things are difficult. Pursue the relationships in your life that matter. Pursue your kids. Pursue your spouse. It’s worth it! And finally, let your love by sacrificial by going first. Be the first to say I’m sorry. Be the first to say I love you. Be the first to say I was wrong. Sacrificing your selfishness is an act of love. Go show someone what God’s love looks like and demonstrate.

Questions for Reflection:

Of grace, pursuit, or sacrifice, where could you do a better job of demonstrating love?

Do you ever feel unloved by God?

Real Gains

Spiritual Training Cycle: Foundation (wk. 4/13)

Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

It’s not long after starting a fitness journey that we begin to wonder how good, strong, fast, and fit we could get. It’s one of the best parts of fitness, imagining and realizing our potential. Sadly, we don’t usually take the same approach with our faith. Sure, we may imagine a day when we don’t struggle with lust, hold on to grudges, or live in doubt. But that is not the same.

When it comes to fitness, we dream about what we could do.

When it comes to faith, we often dream about what we won’t do.

The Bible doesn’t see it this way. Scripture is far more concerned about the type of person you will become than avoiding sin. Someone who is loving, kind, joyous, and patient. (See Galatians 5:22-23 for a more complete list.) Jesus believed that you could experience the level of peace that He did. James dreamed of you being more generous than you ever imagined. And Paul… well, Paul left us with a series of prayers that he prayed for you and me.

Philippians 1:9-11

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Four Things to Know About Your Potential

1) Your love will continue to PR: Verse nine literally says: your love will surpass itself. Think about that – just as you are becoming stronger in the gym, the more you follow Christ, the more loving you’ll become.

2) You will have more awareness and insight: God doesn’t want you to be clueless. He wants you to be astute about what is going on. Jesus is always reading the hearts of those around Him. He’s aware and insightful. God wants this for you too. Following Christ teaches us how to be aware of what is really going on in our hearts and in the hearts of others.

3) You will be wise: Life is complex. We are faced with choices and opportunities every day, many of which will affect our lives for months, if not years. How do we sort through all the options, weigh the outcomes, and make the right choice? This is the work of wisdom. Paul believes that you could be the type of person who makes wise choices not just for yourself but gives the advice we’re all looking for.

4) You will be filled with all the good stuff: Imagine if every year you were more joyful, more love-filled, more patient, more loyal, and filled with more kindness. This is what Paul has is mind for us. That we would be filled with the fruits of righteousness, the fruits of the Spirit. That we would live into our God given potential. These are real gains.

Questions for Reflection:

What about your potential makes you most excited? How have you seen God already developing that in you?

Name 3-5 people who will benefit most from you being a more loving and joyful person.

How would more awareness and wisdom change how you engage at work, at home, or with family and friends? How would life be different in those areas?