Don't Try. Just Train.
“Don’t try. Just Train.” That was the advice that Dave, a spiritual director, recently gave me based on the writings of Dallas Willard. He advised me to comb through the Sermon on the Mount to identify a specific area of personal weakness to grow to be more like Jesus. The principle is that we often try—only to give up—in a specific area of weakness, when what we really need is to train on an ongoing basis just like professional athletes train rigorously long before a big game. Then, when the big game comes, they simply “lean” into their training. Similarly, we need to plan daily, weekly, and monthly spiritual disciplines to train ourselves so that in our moment of temptation, we also can “lean” into our training. It is intentionally taking care of our soul and spiritual walk. Each of us have the opportunity to be more like Jesus in our area of weakness. We can be those “whose weakness was turned to strength” (Hebrews 11.34)!
Bill Gaultiere, co-founder of Soul Shepherding writes, “Most of us fail in our efforts to change and become like Jesus because we try hard for awhile and then give up. We try, but we don’t train. We don’t keep our focus long enough and we don’t go deep enough; we don’t develop a plan for how we can work with God’s grace to change to become like Jesus on the inside in that one area.
So I made a VIM (Vision, Intention, and Means) Plan* for the next two months. My vision is to be more like Jesus in the specific area of responding to applause and criticism. I listed my intentions or attitudes that I need the Lord’s grace to help me overcome. Then I selected several means or spiritual disciplines to “train” in righteousness on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Some of my means include:
Daily journaling a chapter from the Gospel of Mark on how Jesus responded to applause and criticism. This has been so enlightening.
Daily praying for individuals who have been critical.
Weekly memorizing a passage from Sermon on the Mount related to this topic and discussing it with a trusted friend.
Monthly taking a 24- to 48-hour prayer retreat.
Oddly enough, I’ve been facing extra challenges in this area of weakness since making this VIM plan! But we all need to become more like Jesus in our area of weakness. You may have a vision of another aspect that you want to be more like Jesus. You may have other intentions or attitudes you need Jesus’ grace to overcome. You may have other means or spiritual disciplines to train in righteousness. But this year in 2022, may we dedicate ourselves to grow and become more like Jesus!
How can All Nations help support you as you grow to become even more like Jesus?
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Lessons from the Least, the Last, and the Lost, All Nations Weekly Devotion by Blake Staton, M.Div.
All Nations Pocket Guide to Church Planting by Dr. Pam Arlund (in many languages)
All Nations Storytelling Resource
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Bless you today!
