Devotional:

Like standing in a garage doesn’t make a person a car, just showing up to the gym doesn’t make a person stronger. In order to see change, a person must actually consistently use the equipment provided for them. The same is true for our spiritual lives.

Revelation 3:2 says, “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die…” Much like our physical bodies would deteriorate if we didn’t take care of them, our faith will also die if we don’t actively take steps to strengthen it.

The “gym” for our faith is anywhere we can meet with the Lord. The more time we spend with Jesus, the better we can hear His vision and purpose for our lives. This happens in church and in small groups as we learn more about Jesus and worship Him through prayer, song, and thanksgiving. This happens when we serve others as He served us and connect with Jesus one-on-one through reading the Bible and prayer.

We already have everything we need to grow stronger in our faith. The question is whether we’re using all of the tools God has given us. The same way we can have a gym membership and never experience its benefits, if we aren’t working out our spiritual muscles we’ll miss out on the spiritual benefits that come from working out our faith (Philippians 2:12).

Reflect:

• What’s one way spending time with God has grown your faith?
• How is your time with God these days?
• The same way that your physical workouts can benefit from a change in routine, our time with God doesn’t have to always look the same. Is there anything you need to start doing or stop doing to freshen up your relationship and grow your faith?