Physical Toughness
When I was playing college baseball, I remember a particularly hot day at practice when our coach kept making the team run lap after lap after lap around the ballfield. Every time we stopped at home plate after a lap we all hoped it would be the last one, yet again he would say “Another lap, GO!” This went on for what seemed to be an hour. After we finally finished, I remember him saying that we didn’t know how much strength that we really had unless it was tested. He was right… The toughness was in there, but we didn’t know, until we had to have it. The running allowed us to practice the toughness that we would need on the ballfield when we felt like we didn’t have anything left in the tank. It got us ready for battling against other teams. If your kid plays sports, you know what I am talking about and you know that pushing your child’s physical limits is expected if they are going to succeed at sports.
Spiritual Toughness
Maybe you have pushed your kids academically, or they have been pushed physically with sports, but have your kids been pushed spiritually? Have you thought about what that might look like? It could look like memorizing their bible verses for Awana. It could be memorizing a catechism together as a family like the New City Catechism you can download as an app. It could be teaching them to pray or reading through the bible as a family. Doing these things, like running laps for my coach was preparation for the day of testing. Ephesians 6:10-13 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm….”
Will they be ready for game day?
Filling your children’s minds with the things of God will prepare them for the differing worldviews that they will encounter in the world. Colossians 1:9-10 says, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Notice in these verses that being filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding leads to walking in a manner worthy of the Lord. We fill our children’s minds up because we know that the Word of God does not return void.
Start Today
If you aren’t currently reading the bible with your children or praying with them then start now! Begin working out those spiritual muscles today. Prepare your children for the spiritual battle that faces them. Eternity is on the line. Train them to be spiritually tough.