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How often do you work out?
I’m in the habit of getting in a certain amount of physical exercise during the week. I do this primarily because I want to lead a healthy life-style and secondly because it enhances my energy and the way I feel throughout the day. As much as I like doing that, it pales in comparison to the amount of exercise I must get for my spiritual life. When I go to the gym I run into people that I know are there at least 5 days a week for 2 hours at a time. That’s a lot of time devoted to working out especially if they already have a full-time job and a family at home. I mention this because people would go to great lengths to train their bodies. The Apostle Paul wrote about many things among which exercise fell among them.
In 1 Tim. 4:8 Paul says: “…for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Paul understood the benefits of physical exercise, but he put emphasis on the other kind of exercise: Spiritual exercise. For many people, missing a day at the gym would be the last thing on their mind. But for most people, praying, reading the bible, loving my neighbor, putting God first etc. doesn’t mean that much. After all we can’t look in the mirror and see the good results, right?
Embedded within the bible verse, is the promise that the body will pass away. Physical exercise will only profit for as long as the body is alive. I am not suggesting that one shouldn’t exercise their bodies at all. But one must not think that this will be more beneficial than spiritual exercise. After all, Paul says that is what will benefit us not only now but in eternity. I have to ask myself, how often do I pray, read, encourage, love and sympathize? And yes, we do have a mirror to look at. It’s called God’s word.
Jesus’ life embodied a perfect focus on working out spiritually. When I’m not sure if my life is where it needs to be I must look at Him. I can always improve in all aspects of spiritual exercise. There are so many muscles and joints that I have to put to the test with God’s perfect will that will in the end allow me to see Him in heaven. If I don’t work-out spiritually as often as I do physically I have a major problem. If I exercise spiritually as often as I do physically, I can improve a lot. The truth is there is no checklist to when we are done and when the work-out is complete. We must keep going and keep looking at Jesus every chance we get. If we fail to do so, we will fall short of eternal glory.
