I have realized that my family, my future, and my church need me to be healthy. And from my side, if there is anything I can, I ought to, to stay healthy.

Therefore, I signed up for a gym membership, and today, I took advantage of the one-hour complimentary workout with a trainer. The only thing that needs to be said about that is they almost carried me out on crutches, by the time the hour was over.

As I considered the cost & benefits of working out with a trainer, I compared it with the benefits of having someone hold us accountable and challenge us in our spiritual walk with the Lord.

Here were some similarities between having a trainer in a gym, and a spiritual mentor. 

1. In the gym or in our spiritual life, when alone, we don’t push ourselves as hard. If I would have gone in the gym without a trainer, the same machines would be there, with the same opportunities, but, my experience would be much less valuable.
2. In the gym or in our spiritual life, when without a trainer or mentor, we could do things that actually harm us, not help us. Whether it’d be the body, soul or spirit, they are fragile, and must be taken care of properly! Not all physical movements will benefit us. Not all spiritual food will grow us!
3. In the gym or in our spiritual life, when without a trainer or mentor, we could be doing things that bring no results, or not the type of results we desire. While squatting, I was tempted to “half-squat” without reaching the 90 degree angle.  The trainer challenged me to go lower, and didn’t even count the semi-squats as a rep.In our spiritual walk, we are also often tempted to not go deep enough and not discuss areas where work does need to be done, and correction made. For example, the other day, my wife asked me whether or not the Seahawks have become an idol for me. Here me out: I have watched 1.5 football games total this season, and maybe 15 min of replays on NFL.com once a week. Yet, my wife still dared to challenge my “love” of the Seahawks! But, my inner response to her question led me to believe that it is an area where I need to work out even more, and make sure that I am not allowing any idols to pop up in my life and heart! The loss to Arizona helped greatly! 

In conclusion: a personal trainer in the gym is great to have, though my personal and family goals will not lead me to invest finances into getting one. But, the importance of being connected to a local church, a community of believers, and to someone who will hold us accountable cannot be understated.

May I ask: who is your spiritual mentor? Who is holding you accountable? And no, it cannot be a TV preacher, someone you podcast, or someone whose blogs you read. They don’t know you, nor see you, to speak into your life personally!

Want to grow spiritually? Invite someone into your private world!