Becoming a spiritual champion

TODAY'S READING: Titus 2:1-15
Do you ever wonder why so many people struggle with self-control? Well, I think the answer is pretty simple. Self-control is hard work. It doesn't just happen. It takes training. It takes encouragement. It takes dedication. All of those things demand sacrifice and effort.
I have tremendous respect for Jerry Rice as an athlete. If you don't know, Jerry Rice is one of the greatest football players of all time. Most people consider him the best wide receiver ever. While Jerry possessed great athletic ability, that is not what made him the best ever. There are plenty of people in this world with the potential to be a great athlete. What made Jerry great was his dedication to training. He would train harder, longer, and more intensely than almost everybody else. When others might have still been sleeping, Jerry was working out. When other might have given up for the day, Jerry ran a little longer. In the end he became a great athlete and Super Bowl champion.
If we want to develop self-control and become more spiritually strong, we must show the dedication to training that Jerry showed. We must be willing to make the sacrifice to become self-controlled. But unfortunately, many of us are willing to settle for spiritual mediocrity. We are willing to trade our comfort for life to the fullest. We would rather avoid struggle than enjoy victory. We give up long-term joy for short-term happiness.
If you really want to experience life to the extreme, live in this world with self-control. The journey will not always be easy and the price may seem high, but as you begin to experience a life of self-control you will come to know a peace that surpasses understanding. You can become a champion for God. And as you become a person of self-control, you will not only find the life you never thought you could have, you will begin to share it with others around you as well. And the impact you have on them will only make the reward even better.

shine!
Jason