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This month we have been talking about change and trying to focus not on the changes we want to make but the changes God wants for us. We have asked difficult questions like why does God want us to change? Who does God want us to be? What do we need to start doing to make these changes, and maybe most difficult of all, what do we need to STOP doing in order to make lasting and faithful change. Even after doing all this, there are times we still feel like we aren’t making any headway. We’re trying but we aren’t winning. If that is how you feel, then listen to what the Apostle Paul told the people of Corinth. 1 Corinthians 9:24-26
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
If we aren’t seeing the change we want in life, and if our faith doesn’t seem to be growing in the ways we want it to, the problem might be that we are trying and not training. Notice that Paul doesn’t say that everyone who competes in the games tries their best. He doesn’t say run for the participation trophy. He says run to win and the only way we are going to win is to train. The only way we will see lasting change and vital faith is if we stop trying and start training.
There is a difference between just trying and hard training. Trying is an attempt to change with minimal commitment. It’s like when we are kids and we try the broccoli and cauliflower because if we don’t we don’t get the cake, so we try it, but we have already decided we aren’t going to like it. Many times trying is just a half hearted attempt that gives us permission to fail.
Training however, is a wholehearted commitment we make to achieve a goal. When we train we are all in and we know we are in for some hard work. The people of Corinth knew the difference between trying and training because every 4 years they hosted the Isthmian Games. This summer we will be caught up in the excitement of the Summer Olympics. The games have their history in the ancient olympics held in Athens every four years, but these were not the only games of ancient Greece. In between the Olympic games were the Isthmian games held near Corinth. These games included wrestling, boxing, running, chariot races, and poetry. Yes, poetry. I have no idea how you compete in poetry, but I don’t think it was to put the poets in a ring and try to knock each other out.
Because the people of Corinth hosted these games, they knew all about training. People would come to Corinth to train so they could get used to the climate and have an edge in competition. The people watched the athletes train and their training was intense. Like top athletes today, they had strict diets, they pushed their bodies to the limit, and they had some unusual training habits. Some historians say that wrestlers would train by wrestling bulls and bears, I’m sure that is not part of PSU wrestling protocol.
The people of Corinth understood what Paul was talking about when he said, if you are going to run, run to win. Don’t just try to win the prize, train to win the prize. If we don’t feel like we are winning at the changes we want to make and if we aren’t growing in our faith the way we want to, it might be that we need to stop trying and start training.
To help us think about what it might look like for us to train in life and faith, I thought it would be smart for us to get some advice from a real athlete - which I am not. So we asked Ashely Auckerman, a Senior at Bellefonte HS and part of the cross country team to share with us some of what it means to train as a runner. Ashley is an accomplished runner who has made districts every year so far in High School. Here is her interview with Pastor David.
VIDEO
Ashely helps us identify three things that can move us from trying to training, and the first thing is to have a PLAN. In cross country, Ashley said that they had some strategy and plans in their training. They might go faster at the end of a run to feel what it’s like to run at a faster pace. They might do cross training on a bike or weight training to strengthen other muscle groups. They do things on different days to keep them moving forward. They have a plan.
If we want to experience real change in our lives, or if we want to grow in our faith, we also need a plan. If you want to grow in your faith, your plan might include making sure you have a good study Bible, or resources to help you understand what you read. If you want to pray every day you might need to set up a schedule of when you are going to pray and what areas of your life you will pray for. Maybe Monday is your family. Tuesday is your place of work. Wednesday pray for the church and your pastors! Thursday could be all community leaders and first responders. Friday you might pray for all your friends. Saturday pray for the world. And Sunday can be a day of rest as you pray in worship - because being in worship is also part of your plan.
If you want to get your financial house in order, you need a plan. What debt has the highest interest rates that you want to pay off first? How much can you set aside for reserves? What percentage can you set aside for God and how will you do that? Some people make a plan to set up automatic giving through their bank so it goes out consistently. Others like to write the check and see the commitment they are making. What's your plan? You won’t get out of debt without a plan.
When we want to lose weight we create a plan, it’s called a diet. What food do we add in and what foods do we take out. If we want to start exercising, we create a plan. How far do I walk on day one? How much do I increase each week? Trust me, if you go out and run as fast as you can and as far as you can today, tomorrow you will be so sore you won't be able to walk. All successful change and growth needs a good plan. Training needs a plan.
Ashley also talked about the importance of PEOPLE to successful training. Teammates can push you and motivate you. Parents and friends can cheer you on. Coaches can provide you the information you need for nutrition, weight training and healthy habits. All top athletes have a team of people helping them train.
Please hear this, you can’t successfully train alone. Change and growth doesn’t happen in isolation. We all need support, encouragement, motivation and challenge from others. We also need the wisdom and direction that teachers, mentors and coaches can provide. If you aren’t experiencing change and growth in your life, it could be because you are trying to do it and you are trying to do it alone.
Here at Faith Church we talk about how vital faith needs 3 dynamic and growing relationships. A relationship with God where we experience grace and power, and a relationship with the world where we can share and bless others, but also a relationship with the church, the people of God who can intentionally help us. The rhythms of this relationship are things like accountability where we allow others to give us feedback. This would be like a coach offering us direction and guidance. We need God’s people to be part of our lives to train in faith.
Who is part of your team? Who is your cheerleader and coach in life and faith? If you can’t name people, then I would encourage you to think of those who might be able to be part of your team. If you need a team then I encourage you to be part of a small group. Join the choir or a Sunday school class. Check out one of our weekly bible studies or small groups. Join the brown bag Bible study during Lent and be part of a team that can help you grow. No growth or change is successful when we try on our own, we need a team to help us train.
The final part of training we are going to talk about that Ashley touched on is how to PLAY through the PAIN. Let’s be real, there are times when we just want to give up.
Living within new financial guidelines can be painful. Diets and exercise are no fun. Spiritual disciplines like daily prayer, Bible study, or serving in the church can be hard. If we are just trying, we will give up. When we train we learn to play through the pain.
I liked what Ashely said when she talked about working through the hard times. She might set one small goal and work on that. I see the runner in front of me and I am going to work to catch up with them, or pass them. Sometimes we need to keep our eye on the next step because we can’t see the finish line.
When I was hiking in the smoky mountains many years ago, I was on a trail that I had miscalculated the distance, and I didn’t realize that one long section was going to be in a rocky riverbed under the hot sun. About ⅔ of the way through, I hit the wall. I ran out of water and had no food. I was exhausted and not feeling well at all. I thought about lying down to sleep for the night or at least take a long nap, but I knew that wasn’t a good option, so I kept going, one tree at a time. I would focus on a tree down the trail and walk to that tree. I might have had to sit down for a while, but eventually I would find another tree and walk that far. Literally tree by tree I made my way along the trail until I could finally see my car. Sometimes we need to just get through the day, or work to the next goal, and then keep going.
Making changes in life isn’t easy and we need to be prepared for the hard days and have a plan for how to keep going. It’s also during the painful times that the people around us can be a support.
Growing in our faith is also not easy. We go through periods of doubt wondering where God is, or we think God should have worked things out differently than He did. Or maybe God should have acted sooner than He did. There are painful times we all go through in our faith journey and we need to be prepared for them. We need to have a plan to work through, and we need to gather people who can support us. This is exactly what Jesus did.
The most painful time for Jesus was the night before His crucifixion. He didn’t want to die on a cross, but He knew that was God’s plan. It was a painful moment, but Jesus had a plan. He went off to pray. He went to the Garden of Gethsemane, a place they often prayed so it was a place of comfort and peace and strength. Jesus' plan was to pray, not once or twice, but three times.
And He didn’t go alone, Jesus took all the disciples with Him, and then He took Peter, James and John to watch and pray with Him. While they failed and fell asleep, Jesus knew He needed people with Him during this painful and difficult moment. If Jesus needed people and a plan to get through a painful moment, how much more do we?!
Training in life and faith requires us to have PLAN and PEOPLE who can help us when it’s time to PLAY through the PAIN. This is part of what it looks like to train in life and not just try. So here’s the question we need to ask ourselves. Based on who we want to be, how will we start training? What’s the plan? What are the good habits we need to start and the bad habits we need to stop? Who are the people who can help us? What will keep us motivated and focused when the going gets tough. It’s time we stop trying to change and grow and start making a commitment to train.
Next Steps
The Power to Change - Week 5
Stop Trying and Start Training
What areas in life and faith do you not feel like you are making progress or “winning”?
Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-26
What’s the difference between trying and training?
In the areas you identified above, how have you only been trying and what would it look like to start training?
Three steps in training:
PLAN
Create a PLAN to start training.
What resources do you need to be successful?
What is the first step you need to take?
Outline the training process to keep moving forward.
PEOPLE
Create a team of PEOPLE who can help you train.
Who needs to be part of your training team?
How can you invite people to speak into your life and hold you accountable to the training you want to do?
How can a small group, serve team, or fellowship group at Faith Church be part of your training team?
Whose team are you on and how are you helping others train?
PLAY through the PAIN
Identify the areas of PAIN you will have to PLAY through.
When have previous difficult situations derailed you?
What areas of faith are difficult for you to work through?
Identify the plan and the people who can help you keep going when the going gets tough.
