Pastor Steven Furtick

My faithful trainer Buck always makes me do 2 things after each workout: stretch and drink a recovery drink.  He says a good stretch is vital to avoiding injury.  And the protein shake helps maximize gains.

Got me thinking about my post-preaching routine.  And I think the implications are appropriate following any intense spiritual activity.

After I preach, I need to get in a good stretch…to engage in activities that will help me avoid injury.  This might mean taking my Bible on the deck and just reading for a half hour on Monday morning.  Might mean sleeping in.  Might mean doing yoga. (Stop laughing..it’s P90x yoga, man).  Eating breakfast with my wife.  Listening to a favorite preacher or watching a game on the couch Sunday afternoon.
Or it might be what I don’t do: make important decisions.  Engage conflict.
Schedule too many meetings.

Then I’ve got to figure out how to nourish my spirit to maximize gains.  A few Monday mornings ago, I found a little book of Scriptural confessions of faith.  Good ole Pentecostal confessions of faith.  I read them out loud in my attic.  It was powerful and effective.  It helped me flush out my hangover.  Hair of the dog.

Remember when Elijah was coming down from the Mount Carmel experience?  The angel made him sleep.  And fed him.  Then God spoke to him.  And it kept him from giving up.  And it will keep us from giving up, too.

Stretch well.  Nourish yourself.
Avoid injury.  Maximize gains.