JOHN GALLAGHER
SPORTS EDITOR
You know you should probably work out when the excuses you formulate for the situation begin to defy logic. Barring those individuals with a diagnosed fear of treadmills (Google it), the rest of us really aren’t doing ourselves any favors. Should a running tally account for the number of times I have embraced a workout opportunity above a nap opportunity, I would likely forego reading it.
There’s a reason why the devil’s greatest weapon is apathy, and I daresay that sometimes it’s the same reason why our workouts become as relaxed as our respective prayer lives. Not caring is easy. And this life is incredibly adept at providing us valid excuses as to why tomorrow is a much better day to change our lives.
The bottom line remains the fact that these excuses exist as a byproduct of today’s do-nothing culture. If you try and fail, that’s on you, but if you never try, you can’t lose, right? Welcome to the era dominated by participation trophies, which awards common effort above common success.
Funny. If our faith is any indication, the only time you lose is when you stop. The only real loss is the moment when you remove yourself from the proverbial spiritual treadmill, when you decide the collective gain of the sacrifice is no longer worth the sacrifice itself. You lose when you quit.
Athletes train for competition. They spend a series of countless hours inside the gymnasium and inside the weight room in the hope that when it finally comes time to exit the training facility and onto the field of play, their preparation can more than sustain their preferred level of play.
Somewhere, your opponent is preparing. He leaves his bedroom when you hit the snooze button. He gives his all when you pull up short. He seeks opportunities to work harder, while you search as diligently for shortcuts. Your apathy is his motivation. When it comes time to meet him on the field of play, it’s no secret that you will lose and he will win, and he will celebrate his work while you search for answers you aren’t dedicated enough to discover.
You and I must face the fact that somewhere, the devil has never taken a day off. Our spiritual opponent never ceases to pursue the sole goal of derailing our pursuit of Jesus Christ, and you can bet that he’s looking for opportunities to compromise your spiritual workouts, to shorten your prayer time, to endanger your soul.
Forget your stance on physical workouts; the spiritual war for your soul requires exponentially more preparation. If you’re not going to get off the couch to find the nearest gym, you’d be wise to at least find your knees in pursuit of the nearest mode of salvation.
The next time the devil calls, remind him of the fact that you’re every bit as prepared to pursue Christ as he is prepared to derail you. And on that note, next time the couch calls, send it to voicemail.