Fitness vs. Temptation

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

At Concordia Lutheran Church we are in the midst of a series of messages entitled "Fit for Life." In this series we are looking at many different aspects of fitness--spiritual, physical, financial, intellectual and relational. God wants us to be "Fit for Life" in all of these areas, but staying fit in any of them can be a real struggle.

I've noted that in the area of physical fitness particularly. Since moving to Texas I've fallen in love with half pound burgers, beefy barbeque, and sizzling steaks. As a result I've put on 20 pounds that have made life on the bike difficult to say the least. Hills seem steeper and longer. Rides of any distance over 20 miles seem endless. Even swift descents are more harrowing with a higher center of gravity (more weight on top of the bike).


All of these issues have conspired to motivate me to try to get back in shape. As a result, I've broken out my stationary trainer, mounted my Giant bike on it in the upstairs guest room, and started sweating to the commands of Coach Troy in my "Spinervals" DVDs. With a pounding heart and quivering legs I've driven my body to try and regain some of the strength and tone I once had.

The equation, however, has not been complete, because I have yet to change my eating habits. This is where the Bible verse above comes into play. The truth is that we all face similar temptations. My situation is not unique. I need to remember that God is faithful. The temptations I've been giving into are the same ones that countless other people have overcome every day with God's help. God promises to provide a way of escape from temptation if I will only take it. Maybe that means passing up seconds, avoiding some of the restaurants where the temptations are the greatest, or just swapping brocolli for a baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese and bacon.

Fitness in every area means relying on God's help to overcome temptations. Financially it may mean refusing to lay down that credit card to purchase a luxury you can't really afford. Spiritually it may mean disciplining yourself to spend those few minutes each day in God's Word. Intellectually it may mean refusing to buy into the futile thinking of the world's philosophies. Relationally it may mean saying no to self-indulgence in order to serve those you love.

Ultimately, fitness as a self-improvement project is rarely successful. But when we rely on God's faithfulness and his strength to overcome tempation, then we can succeed in becoming more fit for service to Him.