Marian Diamond is considered one of the founders of modern neuroscience. She and her research team studied the brains of mice as early as the 1960s. They kept a group of mice in the same cage and gave them some toys. Then they isolated another group of mice separately. Later, they found that the cerebral cortex of the rats that were caged together were larger than that of the isolated mice, and this change helped their focus and memory. Researchers have found that the main factor that facilitated this change was exercise.
Today, we know the many benefits of exercise to the body, including strengthening memory and emotional function in the brain. However, although exercise is good, it can only bring benefits to this life. What about the afterlife? Paul reminded the young Timothy, “For the physical training of the body is of some value but the practice of godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
How do we practise (or train) godliness? “Training” in its original language is gymnasium or gym in today’s English. The ancient Greeks used to exercise naked. When Paul used this analogy to describe the practice of godliness, the meaning is far-reaching. The late spiritual theologian Henri Nouwen said, “The Christian leader of the future is called…to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self.”
I do not believe today’s Church lacks moving and “successful” testimonies, such as: relationship rebuilt, disease healed, bad habits removed, prayers answered etc. However, what is lacking are open, raw and “failure” testimonies, such as: sickness not healed, prayer not answered, and faith not rebuilt etc. What we need to practise today is to accept our failures and to admit our weaknesses, because when we are weak, we are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). Therefore, be strong, not by ourselves, but by the grace of God.