Years ago, I was a bit frail—147 pounds of skinny ambition. Then, in the summer of 1999, I packed on 25 pounds. My girlfriend at the time (now my wife) barely recognized me. People were convinced I had used steroids or some experimental supplement. The truth? I just went to the gym. My buddy and I followed the Gold’s Gym muscle mass handbook: high-intensity workouts, proper rest, and a solid diet. No gadgets. No magic pills. Just consistency.
It’s funny how this mirrors spiritual growth. We often ask for advice about prayer, Bible reading, or living faithfully—and then get frustrated when we don’t see immediate results. Some try to shortcut it: a devotional here, a “spiritual supplement” there, but neglect the core work. Spiritual strength isn’t built in a week, and there are no instant miracle apps for the soul.
Like physical muscles, our spiritual muscles remember what we train faithfully. The effort compounds. Over time, habits of prayer, Scripture, worship, and service reshape our character. Slow, steady, faithful work produces lasting change.
So, whether it’s reps in the gym or reps in the Word, remember: faithful workouts build muscle, and faithful spiritual workouts build a life that can’t be ignored.
“Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7–8 (NKJV)
Keeping the faith,
Roy Ice
