Twenty-five-hundred athletes gathered to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals at the winter Olympics in Turin, Italy in 2006. Their coaches, trainers, and Olympic officials will work 24-hour days to look after almost every physical and mental needs those athletes have. A host of sports ministries were on hand to make sure the spiritual needs of the competitors and officials were not overlooked.

Christian Kocherscheidt from the European Center of Campus Crusade for Christ summed up the opportunity noting many athletes welcome the offer of counseling because they are under tremendous pressure to succeed and, may experience huge disappointment if they fail to their goals.

Olympic ministry groups offered worship services, prayer meetings, and devotions as well as spiritual advice to both athletes and officials. Some Olympic participants made prayer and Bible reading part of the preparation for competition. Counselors from many countries and ministry groups were ready to provide needed training for the soul.

—http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/16776.htm. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NJB) "Every athlete concentrates completely on training, and this is to win a wreath that will wither, whereas ours will never wither. [26] So that is how I run, not without a clear goal; and how I box, not wasting blows on air. [27] I punish my body and bring it under control, to avoid any risk that, having acted as herald for others, I myself may be disqualified."

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

“Use equipment at your own risk. At the first sign of discomfort cease using equipment.” So say the signs in the exercise rooms of hotels and Condos across the country. The problem with that is, on days I am going to exercise, when the alarm clock goes off an hour early I have the first signs of discomfort. If I followed the advice on the sign I would hit the snooze and go back to sleep.

That is the way many Christian treat their spiritual exercise as well. At the first sign of discomfort they cease their spiritual discipline. Thus they never grow spiritually.

-- http://bakersbaycondo.com/rules.php Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

While it is important to exercise to keep our bodies healthy, it is doubly important, and more profitable to keep our spirits exercised. We need to learn to work our way through the discomfort and practice a healthy regimen of spiritual discipline.

1 Timothy 4:8 (NASB77) “for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

In his book, Leading on Empty, Wayne Cordoro writes, “Solitude is a chosen separation for refining your soul. Isolation is what you crave when you neglect the first.” –Jim L. Wilson

Wayne Cordeiro, Leading on empty : refilling your tank and renewing your passion. (Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany House, 2009), 71.

Mark 6:31 (NASB) And He *said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

It is refreshing to have a place of solitude, a place to relax and experience the presence of God in His creation. Honeysuckles, climbing vines, lilies, violets, and roses covered Helen Keller’s family home. She found joy as she wandered, burying her face in the cool petals of the flowers and smelling their pleasant aroma. Keller loved the roses the most, remembering how “they used to hang in long festoons from our porch, filling the whole air with their fragrance, untainted by any earthly smell; and in the early morning, washed in the dew, they felt so soft, so pure, I could not help wondering if they did not resemble asphodels of God’s garden.” --Jim L. Wilson & Ev Hardee

Song of Songs 4:16 (TLB) The Girl: "Come, north wind, awaken; come, south wind, blow upon my garden and waft its lovely perfume to my beloved. Let him come into his garden and eat its choicest fruits."

In his book, Nurturing Silence in a Noisy Heart: Wayne Oates says, “We run from silence because we meet our real selves there.” —Jim L. Wilson

Ecclesiastes 3:7 (HCSB) “a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak;”

Vince Lombardi, the former head coach of the Green Bay Packers, emphasized going over the fundamentals in his training camp. He would repeatedly go over football basics like block and tackle, and review his plays over and over again from page 1. Through this method of building on a strong basic foundation, his team was able to win championships.

Spiritual life is also built from basics of spiritual disciplines. Basic practices such as Bible reading, prayer, and church fellowship, are the fundamentals that we never grow out of. Regardless of our title or position, may we never neglect our basic devotional practices to the Lord. —Jim L. Wilson and Min Lee

Acts 2:42 (CSB)⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.