PRACTICING OR WORKING OUT

practicing or working out?

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13

My three year old daughter, Gabrielle loves to work out with me.  She says, “Mom, I want to practice.”  It humors me that she considers a fifty minute Zumba “work out” a “practice”.  I tell her, I’m not practicing, I’m working out.  As I step on the Rizer, she alters the quality of my workout due to her close proximity.   I spend a great deal of time focusing on her whereabouts to avoid tripping over her.  Sometimes I try to sneak and work out without her.  Nevertheless, when she hears the music, she runs to grab her sneakers and her step so she can “practice”. 

This made me think of how many times I go to church and acquire knowledge about God but never actually do what it says.  Week after week I acquire more knowledge and listen to new testimonies of what God can and will do.  I just practice by hearing the word but not becoming a doer of it. If we are not careful our religious experience can become like a performance due to our practicing but not really working out.  We can sing, shout and dance but never really work out.

Through the spoken and written word God is calling us to enjoy a good work out. The Bible is very clear that I need to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. God does the internal change in my heart and I must work out what He has worked in. The thing about working out is that an intimate relationship with God will always work out the external evidence of His hand moving in our lives.  The obvious transformation will not go unnoticed by those around us. What we do in secret will eventually come to the light.  Our small exercises of faith will eventually produce spiritual muscles.

My good friend has committed herself to physical wellness. She’s lost over 40 pounds.  She’s changed her diet, as well as her lifestyle to realize amazing results.  When I see her it is obvious to me that she is working out.  Her results are the evidence of what happens when we commit ourselves to physical wellness.  She attends 5:00 A.M.  Training classes as well as completes distance runs. 

When we cooperate with God there is an obvious spiritual transformation that takes place.  What has happened in my friend’s life is what happens in any person who commits themselves to working out the way that she does. Her results have improved her physical health. Spiritually speaking, as we honor God by working out what He has put within us quite naturally we are changed. People who we admire in Christ are the ones who are willing to do what God says.  The Holy Spirit equips us for every good work.  As we yield to the Spirit of God, God “works out” of us what He has put in.