Exercising

They say it is good to get plenty of exercise, but shoveling snow wasn’t what I had in mind. All things considered, I have had a great workout over the last couple of days. That has also translated into sore muscles and a back that is threatening to go out on me. Truth is, I should be getting much more exercise than I am, so this might be a blessing in disguise. I just need to keep it up and push through the sore muscles. Exercise can be an amazing thing. We can get our body into shape. It can make us healthier, unless we go crazy with it. It enables us to do certain tasks more efficiently. It can help us be more alert and help burn fat. Football teams have specific exercises for their sport. Even specific positions played on the team may have very specific exercises for their needs. A body builder has yet another routine. If they are the right exercises, being faithful to do them will have a beneficial result. So it is spiritually. We don’t think about exercising, but Paul talks about going into training so as to finish the race. Spiritual training does not have to do with treadmills and weights. Just as those exercising need to eat well and drink plenty of liquids, so as Christians, we need to be nourished on God’s word and the Spirit. When it comes to sharing our faith with others, the first time you tried probably felt awkward and uncomfortable. The first time someone walks into a gym to exercise can have a similar feeling, however, the more we do it, the easier things get, especially when what you are doing has eternal consequences. Most people aren’t comfortable the first time that they pray. Praying for more than a minute or two seems like forever. With practice, 20-30 minutes of prayer becomes very do-able. Sometimes we struggle with reading God’s word because we commit to reading too much at the start. Read a smaller section, praying that God would reveal its meaning and find a nugget of wisdom to hang on to and put into practice. When church is a chore, it can be hard to endure, but when we are exercising our faith, worship becomes an important part of that. It is good to exercise physically if you ar able. It is of the utmost importance to exercise our spiritual walk with God. What are some things God has put on your heart to do? Take baby steps and begin to accomplish this new task. Father, I don’t need to be a spiritual body builder. Just help me to exercise my faith in a way that is pleasing to You. Amen