“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” — 1 Timothy 4:7
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Before our practices even begin, our players know what’s expected of them. Without any of the coaches giving instruction, they set their equipment down, line up on the court and start their stretching. Seniors and upperclassmen take charge and hold each other accountable.
From there, they know what court to head to and begin their warmup. They understand what’s expected of them to start each practice, and they know that if they’re late for any reason, they will have to do the entire stretching sequence on their own.
Successful teams and programs don’t happen by accident. They take dedicated coaches and players who agree to a set of expectations and have the self-discipline to execute them, even when they’re not given direct orders. Our girls’ tennis team finished as the state runner-up this past season, and while the talent had a lot to do with it, so did their discipline and willingness to meet the expectations set for them.
When they veered off course, they accepted coaching well, and when needed, they accepted tough coaching even better. They understood what it took to be one of the best and to succeed at the highest level. But ultimately, none of this happens if they didn’t have buy-in and discipline on their own.
The same is true of our faith. Following Jesus requires more than just agreeing with what He says. It requires us to order our lives around Him in every way — praying when we’d rather scroll or watch TV, serving when we’d rather be served, or choosing to worship when we’d rather let ourselves be distracted by something seemingly more entertaining.
None of those practices earn God’s love or acceptance, but they are a way of responding to it.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:7, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”
Training requires intention and repetition. Usually, it requires us doing something we don’t really feel like doing. Good athletes understand and accept this. Many even embrace it because they know you don’t become stronger by occasionally working out just when you feel like it. You get stronger by consistency in the gym. In the same way, our faith grows stronger when we consistently make room for God to shape us.
There will be days when you don’t feel like praying or spending time in the Word. You’ll have moments when obedience is difficult and you don’t want to pay the price of it. But that’s when discipline matters. It’s helping you strengthen your faith and become formed in the way Jesus intended.
What we repeatedly practice begins to shape who we become. A great team understands what’s expected of it. A growing disciple does as well.
— Cole Claybourn
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