No Pain No Gain

1 Corinthians 9:27 – But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Could you imagine taking advice from an overweight fitness instructor? How about a financial advisor who just went bankrupt? I think that this verse not only deals with training the body but with training every area of your life. Paul, the author of this verse, had to have his life in order before other people were to take him seriously. The two key words to the scripture are discipline and subjection. Paul said that he disciplined his body, or trained his body. He continued to state that he brings his body into subjection, or under his control.

Do you have an area in your life where you don't have discipline or control? Maybe it is with spending. Maybe it is with eating. Maybe it is with time and priority management. It should be our goal to be disciplined, trained, and to have control over every area of our lives. We should strive to have discipline and control over our weight, finances, marriages, and homes. With God as our guide, we can find the motivation and inspiration we need to bring our bodies and our lives into subjection. All it takes is a little discipline.