There are times when to relax and to turn off from the busyness of life I take to watching ‘rubbish’ television, the type of thing which does not tax my mind too much. I have been watching a series called ‘Go Hard or go Home’ and while the image on the promotion for the series looks rather scary it is not very scary at all.
There are eight individuals who are in their early 20’s for whom life has been tough for an assortment of reasons, one has survived testicular cancer, another’s mother has died young, and he was her carer, another has become dependent on alcohol and partying and does not want that way of living to continue. They spent 28 days on an island away from phones and the influence of home. They are each matched with a Warrior to help them train and to improve their fitness. There are also challenges against each other as well to help them learn resilience and teamwork with their Warrior.
The Warriors work with them, encouraging them, pushing them to be the best that they can be physically, mentally and emotionally encouraging them to work on their confidence, determination and perseverance and often learning to love themselves for who they are. So, you can see why I have enjoyed it seeing young people battle through their past and not letting it define them and building a better and different future.
The most recent episode I saw the trainees went to meet for a training session only to discover that the Warriors was not there. They walked around, they were unsure what to do, for nearly 3 weeks they had been receiving direction and encouragement every day and learning more suddenly their mentor was not there. Their reactions showed shock, surprise, worry, uncertainty, they had arrived cheerful and positive and now they did not know what to do.
After a while they started to work through the exercises that they had been taught, some worked individually and others together. One person who prior to the experience had been a virtual recluse, who had one of the lowest fitness levels and the worst attitude at the start now led another trainee on a training session and they encouraged each other. Slowly they all started to work out and to own the training as their own time rather than being reliant on the direction of their mentor.
It reminded me that in all areas of life we need to act with integrity when no one is watching us. While it is good to have others within our community of faith to encourage us, to push us to a deeper relationship with God, to teach us more, ultimately our relationship with God happens in secret Mark 6:6 ‘But when you pray, go into you room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’.
Father God
Thank you for friends, family, colleagues, ministers and preachers who encourage us on our Christian journey of faith. Help us to listen to their encouragement, to become better disciples of Jesus day by day, and may we find you in the places of solitude. Let us always live with integrity even when no one is watching us. Amen