Train in Godliness
“Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, and godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:7b-10
Successful athletes who train for a running race or triathlon of any distance are committed to training. Training doesn’t come easy. It’s hard work. Training is defined as “developing and improving mentally and physically through instruction and practice over a period of time, to reach or maintain a high level of fitness.”
This same level of training should be applied to our spiritual development and growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul exhorts us to “train ourselves to be godly.” He goes on to share the reason we are to train to be godly, “godliness has value for all things.”
While training for an athletic event will result in better performance in that sport on any given day, training in godliness will yield even more important results in the life we live on this earth and the life to come. We labor and strive because our hope is in a living God!
What does training in godliness look like? We practice and train by immersing ourselves in God’s Word and spending time with Him in prayer, fellowship, worship and discipleship. In 1 Timothy 4:11-16, Paul goes into further instruction on how to train to be godly. We are to:
- Command and teach God’s Word. (Verse 11)
- Set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. (Verse 12)
- Be devoted to the public reading of Scripture, preaching and teaching. (Verse 13)
- Use our God-given gifts to serve. (Verse 14)
- Be diligent in living out our faith, giving 100 percent, loving God and others. (Verse 15)
- Persevere in following Jesus’ example in our daily living. (Verse 16)
An athlete in training is prepared to make sacrifices when training in their sport. Discipline, prioritization and following a plan will set the stage for success. These principles apply if we desire to follow Jesus and bring Him glory in our athletic endeavors. Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Are you ready for the challenge of training in godliness and righteousness?
- What do you need to stop doing in order to spend more time with your Heavenly Father?
- Which one of the practices of godliness mentioned above do you feel God nudging you to pursue?
- Who is someone you can encourage to practice and train in godliness? Take a moment to pray for them now.
“Father, thank You for loving us and giving us the desire to pursue You with everything we’ve got. Your Holy Spirit equips us and Your Word instructs us for training in godliness. Forgive us when we go by our own training plan and bring us back to Your Truth which leads and guides us in godliness and righteousness. Thank You that we have victory in Jesus!”
