Faith Like a Muscle

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. . . But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1

I hit a new PR (personal record) at the gym yesterday, and while the numbers would mean nothing to you, it was a big deal to me. Now in my 50s, it’s rewarding to see the fruits of my labor as I attempt to avoid the decline that will inevitably come with age. Attaining that PR got me thinking – How much is enough? Is there a weight at which I’d be satisfied and just stop lifting weights? No, of course not. Though PRs are fun, that’s not the reason I lift. I lift because I enjoy it and because I like to compete, but mostly, I do it because exercise has been profoundly healthy for my body and for my mind. If I hit a certain weight and then just quit lifting, I would allow that age-related decline to rapidly catch up with me. A muscle grows or maintains itself only if it’s continually exercised. As soon as the exercise or stress that created it is removed, that muscle begins to shrivel and weaken.

The same is true with our faith. This is the lesson of today’s passage, in which King David remained in Jerusalem while he sent his army out to war. The passage unambiguously states that David should have gone with, but instead, he remained behind in the comfort of his palace. Previously, David fought giants. Previously, David led his men into battle. Previously, David exercised his faith. Now though, David rested on his laurels, allowing his faith to atrophy. It is no coincidence that it was in this lethargic state that David surrendered to the temptation of an attractive but married woman. Previously, I’d bet that David’s faith would have passed this test, but in its apathetic, weakened state, David’s faith crumbled as he indulged in his lust.

There once was a time when I refused to continue working on my faith and recovery. I got sober, thought I was fixed, and stopped seeking growth. I’m good now. I didn’t stay sober very long. Now, I’ve accepted that, if I want to keep it, I must work on my faith and recovery every day. If I don’t daily point my life at God, I just naturally drift back towards following me. So, before I get up and go to the gym every day – to exercise my muscles – I must first exercise my faith. If I want to keep growing my faith and my muscles, I must continue to exercise them.