I will be gone again, from the 15th to the 27th, flying back home to drive with my Mom and other Brethren for another Bible Convention, and then to spend some time with my family out East. It is my privilege to room with my Mom, and this will be her first General Convention without my Dad since his passing in January. They were side by side at this convention for many, many years. Praying for her especially. And praying for each of us to be ready to welcome and receive one another and every experience and teaching He has for us.
#361 Escape from Stress When We Fail Hebrews 12:11 Part 2
Sometimes when we have repeated experiences we may think, ‘I’m just not getting the point,’ and this can be a source of discouragement and stress.
I heard a thought in a discourse recently, with the comment that the goal is for our spiritual responses to become instinctive. It really inspires me to realize that we are developing Spiritual Muscle Memory. Just like Olympic athletes, it takes repeated practice to develop gymnastic coordination. It takes repeated practice to develop spiritual coordination. Our brain is being wired anew! Romans 12:2
“…discipline [Strong’s #1128] yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:7-8 The word ‘discipline’ in verse 7 is Strong’s #1128: gunmazo: to practice naked (in the games); i.e. train; Vines: “Eng., gymnastic”.
“But solid food is for the mature, who because of Practice [habit] have their senses trained [Strong’s #1128] to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14
The ability to discern what is in harmony with Truth, and what is error, the ability to discern what is beneficial to the new creature and what is harmful is a matter of ‘hitting the mats’ in a process of spiritual training.
This repeated experience is challenging, just as muscle training involves repetition and certain degrees of pain as the ability is stretched to the next level. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained [Strong’s #1128] by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:11 The end result is spiritual coordination of the new creature, the privilege of partaking of His holiness. Hebrews 12:10
What a blessing to be in the process of spiritual training, the process of repeated experience and practice, by the Trainer who knows what challenge and repetition is necessary for our Eternal Highest Good! Hebrews 12:10
May we be grateful for every opportunity to practice!
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