The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg
Week 3: Chapter 2 — Training vs. Trying
Read Chapter 2 of The Life You've Always Wanted. Key passages: 1 Timothy 4:7-8; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
Previewing Week 3 of The Life You've Always Wanted
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
This chapter is the engine of the whole book — the shift from 'trying harder' to 'training wisely' is the hinge on which everything else turns.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Ortberg's central metaphor is athletic training. Just as a runner doesn't run a marathon by trying hard on race day, a Christian doesn't become patient or loving merely by gritting her teeth in the moment. How does this image land for you — does it feel liberating, challenging, or both?
2.He describes spiritual disciplines as 'training exercises' that build capacity for the kind of life Jesus lived and calls us to. What is the difference between doing a spiritual discipline as a way to earn God's favor versus doing it as training for transformation?
3.Ortberg is honest that the word 'discipline' carries baggage — it can feel harsh, moralistic, or legalistic. How do you personally respond to the word? What images does it bring up for you?
a.Does reframing discipline as 'training' change your emotional response to it?
b.What would it mean to approach a discipline with the same positive expectation an athlete brings to training?