Training the Flesh or the Spirit? | Galatians 6:8
Devotional
“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is a passionate defense of the gospel. After confronting false teaching about salvation, he ends the letter by showing what it looks like to live by the Spirit each day. That’s where today’s verse finds us.
In Galatians 6, Paul urges believers to bear other’s burdens as a means of loving one another. He also urges us to be persistent in doing good, because we will all be held accountable for our actions.
While verse 8 is our focus today, verse 9 naturally builds on it. I believe it’s important to discuss the two verses together.
The title verse teaches us that we must not sow to our flesh, for this brings corruption. Sowing one’s flesh is being driven by selfish desires. When we look at this in application to fitness, it can be seen as vanity.
Doing so is often hard to stop; attention is gratifying and looking good feels great. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others and with that can come pride. Meanwhile, when we fall to human nature, we neglect the Spirit.
Rather than doing what is natural and feeding our pride, we must instead train with gratitude. We should steward the body God gave us and encourage others. These are just a few of the many ways we can sow to the Spirit while working out.
Sowing to the Spirit isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a lifelong pursuit. That’s why verse 9 naturally follows verse 8. Paul reminds us not to grow weary in doing good. As we seek to honor God, we must remain faithful, trusting that in His timing we will reap what He has promised.
Faithfulness is never wasted. In God’s timing, we will reap if we do not give up.
The gym gives us an opportunity to live this out. Every time we walk into the gym, we have a choice. Are we training to glorify ourselves, or are we training as faithful stewards of the bodies God has entrusted to us? One sows to the flesh. The other sows to the Spirit.
Workout
Today is going to be a little unique; we’re lowering the reps on our strength lifts while increasing the number of rounds of conditioning. Although this program emphasizes overall fitness, maintaining strength remains a priority. There are too many benefits associated with strength training to not include it in every program. Good programming isn’t about doing only what we enjoy most. It’s about doing what helps us grow. The same is true in our walk with Christ.
Pull Day
Strength
Weighted Pull-ups: 3x8
Bent-over Rows: 3x8
Barbell Curls: 3x8
Conditioning - 4 round circuit
Row Machine: 12 reps
Lat Pull-downs: 12 reps
Dumbbell Curls: 12 reps