Use it or lose it!

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 1:6)

Doctors understand that muscles which are not used atrophy. When muscles are inactive they lose mass and strength, as soon as four hours within the start of bed rest. This picture clearly shows the effect of atrophy in the legs of a man who auffered a broken ankle and was unable to put weight on his leg for some time. One of the most common causes of muscle atrophy is aging. As elderly people experience reduced levels of activity, their muscles begin to atrophy.

That's why I'm so glad to be a cyclist at my age. Riding my bike keeps me active both physically and mentally. I have to use the muscles in my legs to propel me forward. The muscles in my back are used to help support my upper body and keep me rigid enough to supply power to the pedals. The muscles in my arms are used to support my shoulders and to steer and balance my bike. The muscles in my neck get a strong workout as I lift and turn my head to see where I'm going.

But it's not only my muscles that get a workout through cycling. Doctors have discovered that cycling is a great activity to prevent the loss of mental agility that comes with aging and senile dementia. It is even a good prevention against Alzheimer's disease. When you are riding your bike your brain must process large amounts of data continuously to maintain your balance, direction and speed. All this activity keeps the synapses in your brain firing rapidly and keeps you mentally as well as physically fit.

The same is true spiritually as well. Paul told Philemon that he wanted him to be active in sharing his faith. Why? Certainly so that others would come to know Christ and find eternal life in Him. But there was a benefit to Philemon as well. Paul wanted him to be active in sharing his faith so that Philemon would have a full understanding of all the blessings that come from knowing Christ.

I've certainly experienced that in my own life. Through 35 years of sharing my faith as a pastor, I've grown tremendously in my understanding of God's Word and will. I've had to find the answers in God's Word to countless questions that people have asked. I've had to help people determine what God's will was in countless situations. I've had to overcome objections from unbelievers to many different aspects of the Christian faith. All of this has kept my own faith vital, strong and active.

So whether you're talking about muscle power, mental power, or spiritual power it's all the same -- use it or lose it. God wants us to use our faith actively by sharing it with others. As we do, our faith will grow and we will be strengthened in our relationship with the Lord and in our ability to serve Him.