Are You Exercising Your Faith

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”—1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV).

When I was younger, I never worried about gaining weight. I was a “skinny little thing,” and at 5’3,” weighed 98 pounds soaking wet when I graduated from high school in 1971. At one time, I could eat anything I pleased. Oh, how I wish for those days again.

However, as we age, our metabolism slows down. When I was in my 40s, I began a serious exercise routine, walking and using hand weights to get fit and healthy.

As we grow older our muscle mass deteriorates and our bodies begin to decline if we don’t take care of them. It requires exercise and eating healthy to maintain strength and energy.

Gym memberships increase after January 1 when people make New Year’s Resolutions to get in shape. However, many often lose the drive to continue their new routine after a few months. At the beginning, they’re encouraged by thoughts of “a new me.”

For some, it soon becomes drudgery if not done for the right reasons. Getting in shape requires desire, sacrifice and endurance to remain on the path to a healthy body.

So does exercising our faith. Just as we can’t get physically fit by sitting on the couch, glued to the TV and munching on potato chips, we can’t get spiritually fit by just attending church on Sunday. We can’t grow Godlier through osmosis. We must exercise our faith through commitment and perseverance.

Author and missionary, Elisabeth Elliot, says, “Faith has to be exercised in the midst of ordinary, down-to-earth living.”

Media messages bombard us daily with Chicken Little’s message, “The sky is falling. The sky is falling.” Instead of placing our faith in God, we place it in man.

If we want to increase our faith, we must take action, which means consciously ignoring the world’s messages and concentrating on God’s word. Jesus told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Now, that’s strong faith, isn’t it?

Sometimes, I wish I had mustard seed faith. Just as I exercise my body daily, I must cultivate my faith. And when I recall His faithfulness in the past, it strengthens my trust in Him.

A faith exercise I’ve adopted is to begin each day with a picture of what God is doing in my life. I do this through prayer journaling. As I pray and meditate about my day, I listen for His voice. Through this practice, I experience His presence in every aspect of my life.

How strong is your faith? Does it need a little daily exercise? If we experience it regularly, we’ll find ourselves in the best spiritual shape of our lives.

Blessings,

Carol