Muscle Memory

Theme: Muscle Memory

Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Occasionally the circumstances of our lives cause us to have a break in our exercise routine.  Maybe it is a short illness, or a change in work situation, or the classic; maybe you just had a baby (yes, this is in here for my daughter).

All the effort you put in BEFORE a hiatus helps bring you back quickly.  It’s called muscle memory.  I’m not going to go into the science behind it, but it is worth noting that athletic coaches use this when developing training programs.  They want their athletes to repeat effective motions so when the time to perform comes, their bodies will know exactly how to perform.

We can use this concept in our spiritual lives.  Like a good coach, Jesus gave us good spiritual habits to follow; study, prayer, worship, rest, serving, celebrating, and giving generously to name a few.

Our scripture tells us to “run the race to win” (where winning is the eternal prize, not necessarily an earthly one). It also asks us to “run with a purpose in every step to train our bodies (as well as our mind and soul) to do what we should.”

Habits take time to develop.  So, consider getting a jump on 2023 New Year’s resolutions and develop some good spiritual (and physical) muscle movements.  You will be “running with a purpose” both in life and on the running trails.

See you out there and have a great week!