“Spiritual Muscle Memory”

They say you never forget how to ride a bike. That being said, I was a bit wobbly on a recent bike ride… no crashes, but I didn’t try any wheelies. I think I’ve developed a bit of muscle memory. 

“When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed with little to no conscious effort….. muscle memory is found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding bicycles,driving cars, playing sports, typing, play poker, dancing.”  

I was wondering about “spiritual muscle memory”. Over time have I built up my spiritual muscles…virtues, godly habits, ways of responding in the right way…responding in love and kindness and peace when times get tough. Hmmmmm. I do know that some people seem to respond in righteous ways without really thinking about it, almost spontaneously. My wife often does that….”can you give me a ride to the doctor, can you make a meal for Mable, can you take care of the grandkids…… “sure, absolutely, yes, no problemo, can do…..” After years of responding in the right way, her spiritual muscle memory is working well. 

Well, I hope we all have built up virtues or spiritual muscle memory over the years that we are able to access somewhat automatically. Certainly there are new challenges that require our virtues to stretch and grow, calling us deeper into the life of Christ. It’s one thing to habitually allow someone to cut in line at the grocery store; it’s another thing to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply.  

So what’s the point of today’s BLOG? I thought you’d never ask. Well, let’s continue to build on the spiritual muscle memory we currently have, knowing that we can get stronger and holier and more loving. And if we miss a few days going to the “spiritual gym”, don’t panic. We still have some strength left, we’re not starting from scratch, and the Lord will help us get back on track.