DAY 24

I GOT THIS…

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong. Unknown

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle. U.S. Armed Forces

This past summer my family and I were on vacation. There were only a few weeks before our oldest son Hudson would be leaving for college early for football camp. For the last several months he had been recovering from an injury and was just starting to run once again. He needed to run because he was out of shape from a cardio perspective. Hudson wanted us to drop him off about a mile from the place where we were staying so he could get his run in. I had this crazy idea that surely at 50 years old I could still run a mile fairly easily. My family thought I was crazy. Hudson gave me quite a long head start and boasted he would catch me before we reached a quarter mile. I laughed and thought to myself “yeah right, no way I’m letting that happen.”

So I took off while he was still stretching at a pretty fast pace, thinking even if I had to stop and walk a little it wouldn’t be before at least the half mile point. I think I overestimated my former athletic ability because at what I assume was about two-tenths of a mile in, I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. I was breathing heavily and wondering if my heart might give out. I had to walk. I thought to myself, “I’ll just walk 10 or 20 yards and then pick the pace back up.” It was about then that I turned around to where Hudson was and he was already by my side. Passing me by with a very mocking tone, “what’s wrong dad, thought you said I wouldn’t catch you until at least half way there.” Let’s just say I had to stop and walk two more times before I made it back to the house where we were staying. Not to mention the next morning I thought my hip was out of place, muscles in my legs I had forgotten were sore, and I was definitely walking with a limp.

The lesson I learned is this: while my 50-year-old mind was willing and hopeful, my 50-year-old body quickly reminded me, “You’re not 20 anymore! What were you thinking?” The reality is, in anything—whether it’s a sport, a skill, a work project, or a personal goal, training is absolutely essential.

Paul speaks to this: 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24–27

Paul’s point is clear: spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional, disciplined training, just like an athlete prepares for competition.

In another letter to young Timothy, Paul writes:

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7–8

Training in godliness, training our hearts to know, love, and walk with Jesus, is the most valuable.

At The Woods Church, we often describe this as living a “Presence-Driven” life. Are we practicing the presence of God? Are we prioritizing time with Him, receiving the joy, delight, and intimacy that comes from a relationship with Him?

One of the questions I get asked more than almost any other is this: “Pastor John, how can I hear God speak to me?”

My answer is simple but challenging: train yourself. Just like developing any skill, hearing the voice of God takes practice. If you want to recognize His voice, you must spend time daily in His Word. Learn His language. See how He speaks. Learn what matters to Him. Watch how the Father relates to His people, how Jesus speaks to His disciples, how Paul teaches the early believers.

And alongside Scripture, we practice listening through prayer. Not just prayers of praise, repentance, requests, or intercession, but also the practice of silence. We quiet our hearts to hear His still, small voice or what 1 Kings 19:12 in the NIV calls a “gentle whisper.”

Think about it: If we’re constantly distracted by the noise of life and never carve out space to listen, how can we expect to recognize the Spirit’s voice? If we don’t learn to quiet the chaos, we risk missing the very thing God longs for most: deep, intimate friendship with us.

My good friend Rob McCorkle often says, “Life is in the voice!” He’s absolutely right. When you begin to sense what the Holy Spirit is saying, it changes everything. A new depth of intimacy unfolds. Your heart grows more tender. Your ears are more attentive. Your spirit is more alive.

As you train your heart and mind to fellowship with the Lord, you’ll discover your greatest satisfaction, your deepest peace, and your truest joy are all found in Him.

Train yourself in godliness. Train yourself in righteousness. Train yourself in intimacy with Jesus.

That’s the kind of training that lasts forever!

PRAYER: Take some time today, quiet yourself before the Lord. Ask Him in what ways you need to add training to your daily rhythm. Ask Him how He wants you to implement new training for your heart and mind. Then sit and quiet yourself, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you and give you the training guide He wants you to follow.