Fighting the good fight

^{2 Timothy 4:6}For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,^£ and the time for my departure is close. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸In the future, there is reserved for me the crown^£ of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,^£ will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.^£


So, recently I've joined a new gym...a boxing gym. I know, unbelievable for some that may be reading this - for others that really know me - you've expected it for years. I've taken a real liking to Muy Thai (like the photo above)...not that I look or even resemble the photo at all. My form is more something to laugh at rather than fear. But, the new experience has been nothing short of the most fun and physically demanding time I've ever had. The challenge of being able to last even a few minutes ,beating a heavy bag while your lungs feel like they are going to explode and your shins are beet red and glowing from the repeated kicks, your elbows are burning from slamming into the pad...this is when you begin to learn where your limits are and where you're willing to push past them.

Not unlike those moments in life where our limits are reached and we see just how strong our faith is, where we're willing to keep trusting God or shrink back, relax our hands and back away from the fight. We know that during this writing, Paul is in Jerusalem, in prison and alive only because of that reason (if you remember how he was greeted when he entered the city). He knows his time is near and he recalls the good fight he's fought. So many times this scripture has been recited to people like me to incite the attitude of rebellion against those who oppose our faith viewpoint or some use it to justify their cause of going against the 'machine'...but Paul uses it here not describing any physical fight, but the risk of living life to the full. Taking hold of the abundant life in every moment and letting our hearts be so full of purpose that we do it all for the glory of our God. Do you get it? The fight is life and he's fought the good fight...he hasn't let the circumstances defeat him - he's disciplined, trained and prepared his spirit for the battles of life...
It doesn't mean he got it all perfect, or didn't even have regrets to a point - but he does show us to push past the past and live now, not just for the moment but for the future. Your enemy is not the smart mouthed foe or the distastefully dressed young lady... Paul was chained to a smelly soldier - he still sang praises and shared the joy God had given him.

Quit whinin' and put your gloves on...life throws some mean elbows sometimes. A life with Christ is worth everything.