"God's Gym" (2 Corinthians 1:3-11)
When I go to the gym I see people who are there everyday for years. They work hard, with sweat, groans, and persistence. They know the benefits of being committed to working hard for their health. Others seem to come and go. Some people get busy and don't make the time to go any more and they usual feel the difference (the stresses) in their everyday comings and goings. You have those who go and say it's just too hard and so they stop. Some people have spurts where they go and then stop and then go and then stop never really producing result because they just aren't truly committed. I've seen people who go and are discouraged because others around them seem to be so much more fit than they are. They fail to realize that there was a time where these other people started in the same place but effort, time and commitment helped get them to where they are now.
I think our prayer lives can be similar to those in the gym. Some people are 1 Thessalonians 5:17 people of prayer, they are committed and don't cease praying till there is an answer. Life can get tough but they remain faithful knowing God is working in them. Others are like Martha in Luke 10 and get so busy with the details of life that they don't stop and sit at the feet of Jesus to pray, to listen and be guided through life's busyness. Then the stresses of life overwhelm. You have others who are like Galatians 6:9 people of prayer, they become weary and faint and the committed effort of prayer is just too much for them so they give up. Some are like the disciples in Matthew 26:41 in the Garden with Christ, they are awake and ready to pray and then asleep, wake ready to pray and then asleep. They just aren't as committed as they should be even though Christ says "watch and pray" but he knows "the body is willing but the spirit is weak. Then there are those like Moses at the burning bush who see the burdens of life and the task they are called to, (the commitment of prayer) as more than they can do. They see their short comings, weakness, and lack of faith compared to others and are ready to give up on unceasing prayer before they start. It's a burden that seems more than they can bear.
I love how in today's NT reading Paul declares the honest sufferings and struggles that we as humans have and will have but proclaims God's comfort, God's hope, God's deliverance, God's favor, God's strength and our need to depend on him. All of this though requires we go to the gym of prayer. Paul was under pressure far beyond his ability to endure (vs.8) but it was prayer that got him through. I don't believe we are called to just pray for ourselves but for all those God puts in our paths. Likewise others should be praying for us. Why????? So that we can give thanks to God for who he is and for all his answers to "the prayers of many" (vs.11). When we pray we see God work. When we pray we are able to see the full Character of God revealed over time. When we pray it is a chance to grow in our faith (to build our faith muscles), to become stronger in the face of adversity. We get to experience God's love, favor, grace, and comfort and in turn we can share and encourage those in the gym of prayer to keep on going and to know they are not a lone in their journey.
So who are you in the gym of prayer??? Be honest with yourself, ask the Lord to help you to see where your weaknesses may be and ask him to strengthen you or to send you someone who can help as you seek to make your prayer life more and more effective (James 5:16).
Let's all seek to be committed people of daily unceasing prayer no matter what life throws at us so that together we can rejoice, give thanks and offer comfort and support to all who are in need.
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