READ
REFLECT
Excelling is critical for competitors during the workout and in their personal lives. When we excel, we set ourselves up for excellence in the future.
We don’t have to crush the workout every time to excel. Sometimes excelling means we fail, learn from the experience, and do better next time. Learning from our failures also improves our mental toughness.
1. What have you learned from failure?
2. How do you handle things when you fall short?
1 Corinthians 12:31 encourages us to “eagerly desire the greater gifts.” We learn that when we do, Jesus will show us a “more excellent way.” When we embrace His way, we open ourselves to receive more of Christ’s blessings.
But just because we choose the “more excellent way” doesn’t mean things will be easier.
So, where do we start?
Philippians 4:8 gives us a good idea. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Of course, these are attributes aligned with God. And we all fall short of his glory. But when we live truer, more noble, righteous, and pure lives, we decide on the highest form of excellence.
RESPOND
1. Write down what comes to mind when you think about living a “more excellent way.”
2. Pick one attribute mentioned in Philippians 4:8 and focus on it for the next month.
3. Find a verse in Scripture that you like about the attribute you chose and commit it to memory.
