Presence > Progress

Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

Have you ever walked into the gym for the wrong reason? That may sound like a strange question, because after all, you walked into the gym right. It’s reasonable to think that if someone makes the effort to get some form of physical exercise, regardless of the motive, the outcome is still going to be good. But I would argue that the driving factors behind our decisions have more to do with not only the downstream results, but also the joy and satisfaction in the journey that lies ahead.

Take Athlete #1. She’s a highly motivated go getter. When she comes to the gym, it’s all business. Not that she isn’t friendly and social, but there’s something about that countdown clock. She also loves to log her results. Most of the time. Lately she’s been trying to get a PR but hasn’t been successful. Her desire for results is now her primary focal point. So much so, that she can actually drive home from a killer workout in almost a state of mini depression if her effort didn’t show she was making progress. Sound familiar?

Now take Athlete #2. She’s also highly motivated and a hard worker. She loves a good workout as much as Athlete #1. But for Athlete #2, walking into the gym is the goal. Sure, she’ll still post her results, and she’ll scroll through to hit the like button on some of the other athletes, but when she’s in the gym her goal is presence. She looks forward to the pointers from her coaches. She likes to take a moment in the workout to look around and see the community suffering with her. Make no mistake, this girl still loves progress, but unlike Athlete #1, whose whole day is based on the results of a workout, Athlete #2 finds satisfaction in simply being there. She has chosen to prioritize presence over progress.

So, what’s your barometer for satisfaction in life? Do you have a “life” to-do list? You know, graduate from college, get a high-paying job, get married, buy a house, have kids, go on vacations, retire early, spend time with the grandkids. People who focus more on progress often miss the opportunity to be fully present because they either spend their lives checking boxes and setting new “personal bests,” or they live life disappointed that they’re not making the progress they expected. Presence says, “Savor this moment.” Progress says, “This moment needs to be better than the last one.”

If there’s one thing many of us were given last year when COVID arrived, it was the opportunity to assess our priorities. With much of our to-do list erased, we had to re-order what was left. I pray that you would reflect on some of those moments and realize the deep value in simply being present. When you prioritize presence over progress, you’ll discover a richness to life you never knew existed.

Questions for Reflection:

Are there areas of your life where you prioritize progress over presence?

Describe the tension between wanting God to do things in your life and simply existing in the life He's created for you.

Perhaps Today

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

I love overhead squats. I know some of you think that’s nuts, but hey, at least I didn’t say burpees. No, in fact I love to squat, and I love to hold some weight overhead while I do it. Even though our gym publishes the next day’s workout at 8:00 p.m. the night before, the coaching staff gets all the workouts at the beginning of the week. When I began coaching at CrossFit 737, I used to get so pumped when the workouts were sent to us. Even if it was on my phone, I would immediately pop it open and start reading. I wish I could say it was to get an early start on the workouts I would be coaching that week, but the truth is I was searching. For overhead squats. Two words entered my mind as I scrolled with nervous anticipation – perhaps today.

While I may be alone in my love for overhead squats, I’m in good company when it comes to seeking workouts that have our favorite exercises in them. Come on, if you like to swing a kettlebell then you like seeing kettlebell swings in the WOD. From handstand push-ups to power cleans to double unders, we all have a favorite. But that has nothing to do with the methodology behind CrossFit. In 2007, “Understanding CrossFit” was published in the CrossFit Journal. The author noted the whole point of constantly varied work was to, “…prepare for any physical contingency. Not only for the unknown, but the unknowable as well.” Any physical contingency. Man, that’s a mouthful. But it really puts the training we do in perspective. I’m not in the gym waiting for my favorite exercises. I’m in the gym training for whatever comes my way in life. The development of my physical fitness is preparing me for any physical situation I may encounter – perhaps today.

But what about your spiritual life? Do you consider yourself to be training for any spiritual contingency? Cause you know life will bring them. But this is not about doom and gloom. I see too many people waiting for something bad to happen in their life. Have you ever known anyone like this? They’ve had a few successes and now they’re in preparation for the impending storm they just know they’re going to face. That’s no way to live a rich and flourishing life. Think about the spiritual contingency of being asked to pray for someone. Are you preparing to pray for others? Think about the spiritual contingency of bringing peace and unity to a hostile situation. Are you preparing to put other’s needs before you own and try to see things from their perspective?

Spiritual fitness is not a defense plan for when life poops on you. It’s a journey into deeper intimacy with God. As you learn to trust God more and put your faith fully in Him, He is preparing you for the unknown and unknowable. For any spiritual contingency. God will open your eyes to new insights and possibilities. He will open doors to new opportunities and close doors to old ones. If that’s good news to you, then are you living life like that? Do you wake up excited for what God is doing in your life? When I stopped searching for overhead squats and realized I was training for a bigger purpose, it changed my life. Open yourself up to the idea that your connection with God is also for a bigger purpose. He will reveal Himself to you in new ways – perhaps today.

Questions for Reflection:

How does your spiritual life reflect your enthusiasm for what God is doing? Where do you find yourself spiritually dry?

Do you have a sense of urgency to grow spiritually? Why or why not?

It's Not a Process, It's a Pilgrimage

Reading: Acts 9:1-19

The journey of life transformation is simply that – a journey. As I’ve worked with people to help them understand what spiritual fitness is, why they need it, and how to develop it, it’s important not to think of it as a process. Process isn’t the best way to illustrate the journey of building spiritual fitness and here’s why. When people think about processes, they think of organized systems that move a person or product from one point to another. Spiritual fitness isn’t organized so much as it’s organic. True transformation has to start with your inner self. It can often be motivated by outside circumstances in our lives, but ultimately it must come from within. That’s why it’s organic. It’s also why there’s no algorithm for transformation.

Let’s take church as an example. It’s not uncommon for churches to have their own transformation programs. Some denominations have classes you must attend, while others use community groups and Bible reading plans. The en vogue church term is “spiritual formation,” but if you’re old school, it’s discipleship or maybe you’re so old school it’s sanctification. Regardless of the term, churches implement these programs because they want to see their members grow in their faith and experience God in a deeper and more rewarding way. Here’s their challenge – every human being is coming to the journey of spiritual life from a different starting point. That’s a lot of starting points. So just because you get confirmed or you complete all six of your Growth Track classes, there’s no guarantee that your spiritual life is going to be any different. And that’s because I believe it’s not a process, it’s a pilgrimage.

In his book, The Art of Pilgrimage, Phil Cousineau defines pilgrimage as “a transformative journey to a sacred center full of hardships, darkness, and peril.” In other words, it’s the experience of the journey that leads to transformation. If you want transformation, you need to seek transforming experiences. And the ones that I’ve seen work best are the experiences you consistently integrate into your daily lives. Because believe it or not, you’re not going to see your own transformation. It’s the people around you who will see it. The way you’ve stopped yelling at every driver on the road. The peace with which you received the difficult diagnosis. The love that you reflect to other people who may not even deserve it. This is the transformation we were wired for when God created humanity. And the pilgrimage to discover who you are as the Spirit of God reshapes and refines you through hardships, darkness, and peril is totally worth it! See for yourself as you read about the Apostle Paul and his pilgrimage. I pray that we would experience freedom from the belief that spiritual transformation is a process. I pray that the grace we both receive and give on this pilgrimage to discover our purpose would truly transform us from the inside out.

Questions for Reflection:

What have been some of the most transformative experiences in your spiritual life?

Why do you think it's easier to see someone else's transformation and not your own?