Day 4 – Becoming a Triathlete

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My brother-in-law is a triathlete. Not just any kind of triathlete - an Ironman Triathlete. This means he swam for 2.4 miles and then he road a bike for 112 miles and then he ran for 26.2 miles. Like in the same day. On purpose. It took him 11 hours, 38 minutes and 8 seconds (which I find ironic, considering that is the exact same time record I hold for playing a single game of Asteroids when I was a teenager.)

It helps that my brother-in-law is a natural athlete. I could probably finish the Ironman, but we would be measuring in days, not hours. After all, being an Ironman isn’t for just anyone. Over 200 people who entered the Arizona Ironman didn’t even finish. Some people are just made for that kind of thing, while the majority of us aren’t.

And isn’t that what a lot of people think about faith in Christ? As we look around and compare ourselves to the Ironman Christians out there who seem to always have it together, and they know just the right things to say when we’re going through difficulties, and they always seem to know where things are in the Bible. And they hear God "speak" to them, whatever that means.

We can’t even get to church on time.

How do they do it? What is their secret? Maybe they’re just “naturals” at it. Maybe we’re just not made for that kind of thing.

But maybe we are.

As Paul wrote the letter to the Thessalonians, he wanted to encourage them to continue on in the faith through difficult times. And in that encouragement, Paul wrote down a simple training regimen to get them in the spiritual shape necessary to run the Christian race. He said to always be joyful, to never stop praying, and to be thankful in all circumstances. Three simple, yet life-changing ideas that would enable us to be triathletes in our journey with Christ.

What would our day look like if we chose to be joyful in who Christ is and what He has done for us instead of being frustrated with what we can’t have or can’t do or with circumstances that are often out of our control?

What kind of a change would take place in our lives if we carried the awareness we have of God in our prayer time with us into our work time and play time? What if we started catching moments at the stoplight and in the check out line and the waiting room to reconnect with God in prayer? (BTW, you don’t have to close your eyes every time you pray...this is especially helpful when driving.)

What would our lives look like if we were able to be truly thankful to God in the midst of every kind of circumstance – good, bad or indifferent - and we were able to thank God for who He is and what He has done for us, no matter what life throws our way?

As you pray today, think through which of these three areas you are strongest in and which you are weakest in.

• Thank God that He loves you right where you are, and that He loves you too much to leave you where you are.
• Thank God for His Word that helps us to see the areas we need to grow as believers.
• Thank God for helping you in the areas you do well in as a follower of Christ.
• Ask God to teach you how to be a person who is always filled with His joy, who stays connected to God through prayer, and who gives thanks in the midst of every circumstance.
• Ask God to help you be the person who He created you to be and thank Him that He understands it might take some time and training to become a triathlete on this journey with Christ.