Who? How? Why?

“The star performer himself didn’t achieve his excellence by
trying to behave in a certain way only during the game. Instead, he chose an overall life
of preparation of mind and body, pouring all his energies into that total preparation, to
provide a foundation in body’s automatic responses and strength for his conscious
efforts during the game. Those exquisite responses we see, the amazing timing and
strength such an athlete displays, aren’t produced and maintained by the short hours of
the game itself. They are available to the athlete for those short and all-important hours
because of a daily regimen no one sees. For example, the proper diet and rest and the
exercises for specific muscles are not a part of the game itself, but without them the
athlete certainly would not perform outstandingly. Some of these daily habits may even
seem silly to us, but the successful athlete knows that his disciplines must be undertaken, and undertaken rightly, or all his natural talents and best efforts will go
down in defeat to others who have disciplined themselves in preparation for game
time.”

Dallas Willard

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

What lies have you believed about yourself?

Where have you misplaced your identity?

What are the things that compete most for your identity?

What excites you most about becoming more like Jesus?