1 Timothy 4:6-11: a reflection

6If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed. 7But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness. 8For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now and of that which is to come. 9This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance. 10For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11Command and teach these things.

Paul urges Timothy to train himself toward godliness, and he draws a comparison with physical training. Bodily exercise, he says, is of some value; but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the life that now is and the life to come. Just as an athlete trains the body with discipline and effort, so we are to train ourselves toward godliness, deliberately, with discipline, aiming at a spiritual fitness worth far more than physical.

Notice the word Paul uses: train yourself toward godliness. Godliness is not pictured as something that simply happens to us, or that we drift into; it is something we train for, as an athlete trains, with intention, discipline, and effort. And its value surpasses even physical training, for godliness profits in every way, and its promise reaches beyond this life into the life to come. It is worth the discipline it requires, more than any bodily training.

That reframes how we pursue godliness. We may value physical fitness, and give real discipline to training the body; but do we give the same intentional effort to training ourselves toward godliness? Godliness does not come by accident, but by deliberate, disciplined effort, the practices, the choices, the habits that shape us toward God. Train yourself toward godliness, as an athlete trains the body, with intention and discipline. Do not leave your growth in godliness to chance or drift; give it the deliberate effort it deserves, for it profits in every way, and holds promise for this life and the next. What you would not leave your bodily fitness to chance, do not leave your godliness to chance; train for it, as for something of surpassing worth.

Lord, Paul urges me to train myself toward godliness, saying that while bodily exercise is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the life that now is and the life to come. Reframe how I pursue godliness. I may value physical fitness, and give real discipline to training the body; but do I give the same intentional effort to training myself toward godliness? Godliness is not something that simply happens to me, or that I drift into; it is something I train for, as an athlete trains, with intention, discipline, and effort. And its value surpasses even physical training, for it profits in every way, and its promise reaches beyond this life. Help me train myself toward godliness, with intention and discipline. Keep me from leaving my growth in godliness to chance or drift; help me give it the deliberate effort it deserves. What I would not leave my bodily fitness to chance, keep me from leaving my godliness to chance; help me train for it, as for something of surpassing worth. Discipline me toward godliness, Lord.