6 Mar
Training My Core
I spend a lot of my free time working out and training. Lately, I’ve been putting a lot of energy into training for bouldering (rock climbing without a harness, up boulders). Having strong muscles helps, but the secret to being a good climber is having a strong core. I was trying to climb a competition route when I found this out. After falling from the top several times, and finally giving up, an onlooker suggested I spend some time on specific muscles in my training. The next week I finished the route my first try! When I started focusing on what mattered, I got stronger.
When I trained my core, I got stronger. Your core is mostly identified by your abdomen, but includes your whole torso. A developed core brings unity to the whole body, and allows the muscles in the body to work at their best. Without a core, muscles work individually and rely less on help from other parts of your body. The daily activities we do all include full body strength that rely on our core. Just as I trained my physical core, I need to work on my spiritual core even more because it’s the one that counts.
“For the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). This verse showed me what I have been missing and what’s important. I need to be focusing on the things that really matter—the things that are for the kingdom of God!
The traits of my spiritual core are the same as my physical core. If either is weak, I crumble: if either is strong, everything in me is stronger. I can’t train my spiritual core by doing crunches. To train my spiritual core I must train in godliness. There are problems in my spiritual life that will easily be solved with a stronger core. By focusing on becoming a stronger man of God, I will benefit in this “present life and also for the life to come”!
Father, I pray that my training will show great results, and I will begin to focus more on the things that matter eternally! Amen.
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Filed in: Discipleship, Purpose, Relationship
About the Author
Jody Johnston is a 17-year old student, athlete, and worship leader. He attends Hendersonville High School, where he is active in FCA and Select Chorus. In his free time, he loves to play Ultimate Frisbee and boulder.
Read more about Jody here.
