My husband and I use bodybuilding as a frequent analogy (he’s a CPA by day and a bodybuilder by night). We believe every work issue, relationship problem, emotional trouble, etc. can be linked to (and potentially solved by) some bodybuilding concept (if you look hard enough for the connections). Not unlike the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
Recently, we were discussing how God is most often found in our daily pursuit, rather than in one-off mountaintop moments. God does reveal himself in huge, momentous ways. However, these big, sweeping experiences with the divine aren’t what characterize our spiritual journey. The Christian life isn’t a one-time, momentary thing. It’s a consistent, repetitive, daily practice.
Just like bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding is monotonous. It’s a daily grind. From the food to the workout protocol. Consistency is key. Working the process is what produces the desired outcome. It’s a daily choice. It’s a dedicated practice.
Just like the Christian life.
The Christian life can also be monotonous. It’s a daily grind. Consistency is key. It’s a committed practice that we daily devote ourselves to. Amos Yong reminds us that “…it’s the regularized practice of devotional piety that cultivates spiritual openness and makes possible spiritual encounter.”[i] It’s the spiritual routines, rhythms, and practices that we engage in which prepare us to encounter the living God. It’s our everyday dedication, and posture of devotion, that opens us to God’s very self, to God’s revelation.
*This book is worth the read: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson. It has nothing to do with bodybuilding, but rather, the daily rhythms of the Christian life.
[i] Amos Yong. Revelation: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. 2021, p. 36.