Well, it’s the last day of January. How are you doing on those resolutions? Still, hitting the gym? Still, cutting those carbs? Still, putting some money in savings? Made it to church every Sunday? Seriously, how’s it going? I hope and pray you’re doing great with those resolutions. Obviously, the most popular resolutions have to do with losing weight and getting in better shape. I have talked to many people who are doing great with their resolutions, even in the health and fitness category, which I think is awesome!
I guess it’s no secret we all are self-conscious about our bodies. I’ve come to the conclusion I have a “Cereal body.” It snaps, crackles and pops! What are you smiling about? I see a lot of frosted flakes and fruit loops walking around as well in 2024. Staying healthy is a big deal. Working out is a big deal. There’s no denying that staying active has countless health advantages. Most people are concerned with their physical overall health and for good reason. A few years ago a friend of mine said this to me, “Jim, I don’t see a lot of fat old people.” When he said that to me, I must admit, it struck a chord in my life. I knew I had to change some habits in my life. I want to live as long as I can to serve the Lord, to be with my family, and to not allow my personal appearance be a distraction to those that I am ministering to. Health and Wellness is important, and I believe God wants us to care for our bodies, especially as believers. His word says, “Don’t you realize your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:19) I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with setting physical fitness goals and reaching them. I’m all for that, but let’s be honest, many obsess over it. Some allow their appearance, their diet, and their workouts to hinder their relationship with God. Their body has become god, instead of their body hosting the Spirit of God. So let me ask you this question…
How’s Your Spiritual Well-Being?
Are you concerned about that? Are you spending quality time and energy on your relationship with God and serving Him with all your heart, mind, body and soul? God’s word makes it clear above all that we should be constantly pursuing a strong relationship with Him. So for a moment may I be your PST?? Personal Spiritual Trainer…. Let me check you into PLANET FAITH-FULL-NESS! Don’t worry: it’s all free, just for you today. Let me give you a few disclaimer Bible verses to jumpstart this spiritual workout…
1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come.” (NKJV)
1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NKJV)
Then Jesus said this in Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (NKJV)
When it comes down to the end of this life, the only thing that will matter is that you and I have a strong relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. God wants us to be spiritually fit! And in following Him, there are no days off. There are no cheat days. There are no excuses.
With that in mind, I want to give you 5 Spiritual Workout Tips.
1. DON’T WAIT…
Believe it or not, the best time to begin a diet or workout routine is right now! Not Monday! Not on Easter, but today. You’ll never cross the finish line without crossing the starting point. What is God calling you to do in 2024? What is God telling you to do in 2024? What are you waiting on? Stop with the excuses. Go for it. Maybe you need to work on your prayer life, maybe you need to start reading His Word, and journaling. I believe most of us realize none of us are promised tomorrow. How many times do we say, “I can’t believe they’re gone.” Or “They were just so young.” Yesterday is never coming back; it’s gone. None of us are promised tomorrow. Eventually, time will run out for all of us. That’s why today is a gift from God Himself. Right now is an opportunity we have been given to change our future. The present is a present that when received from God brings blessings in the future. I have the privilege of pastoring a church in Orrville, Ohio called Now Church. I love the fact that the church is called Now Church, because now is the time. The word now shows a sense of urgency. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “…Behold now’s the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (NKJV) Maybe the first thing you need to do for your spiritual well-being is to say, “Yes” to Jesus Christ, and trust Him as Savior. What are you waiting on? Now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation. Don’t wait.
2.. THROW OUT THE SCALES.
Throw out the scales. What I mean by this is stop with the comparisons. We all want instant results, we all want change to happen overnight, but that’s not usually how it happens. There’s no fast pass to success, and most workout routines fail because people desire instant results. One of the traps of this is comparing ourselves with others. We compare what we have to others. We think their house is bigger, their kids are better, their spouse is hotter, their cars are nicer. Comparison crushes joy! We scroll through social media and see their vacation was better, they looked way better than we do in a bikini. Philippians 2:12 says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (NKJV) The Apostle Paul is making it clear to us to focus on our relationship with God, to worry about our faith, and to work on our spiritual well-being. I’ve got some breaking news for all of us… Are you ready for it? None of us are perfect. We all have flaws, we all make mistakes, and we all deal with the challenges of life. So don’t allow your imperfections to be a weapon formed against you. Take your weaknesses, give them to God and let Him use them for His glory. Don’t expect instant results and don’t quit! Throw out the spiritual scales! Stop carrying the weight of hate, grudges and bitterness. Stop counting the times someone has let you down, stop counting your burdens, and count your blessings.
3 STOP STARING IN THE MIRROR.
It’s not a bad thing to glance in the mirror to reflect on who we are. However, when we stare at the mirror, we focus way too much on us and not on God. Is there anything worse than a person that spends a majority of the time staring in the mirror at the gym? We must change our perspective, we need a greater vision, and we must get our eyes off of self. We need to walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says,”For we walk by faith, not by sight.”(NKJV) And the following verse says, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (NKJV) Again, another reminder to shift our focus from this life to life after death. We must stop believing everything that we see going on around us. We must live based on what the Word of God says, not what we see. We walk by faith trusting God, His Word, and by following the lead of His Holy Spirit. The more our faith in God develops, the more our life begins to mature in the direction God wants it to go. Faith is spiritual but it’s also practical. How are you flexing your faith muscles? How are you working them out? Many miss this. Frustration sets in when we try to do what God has not asked us to do. Look into God’s mirror by faith in Jesus Christ, get your eyes off of yourself.
4 ASK FOR HELP.
I started working out as a sophomore in high school around the age of 15 years old. I had the privilege of working out with professional bodybuilders. These two massive men taught me the basics of lifting weights to gain muscle, strength, and speed in athletic performance. I witnessed the first time one of the guys benched-pressed 400lbs. As he lay on the bench he looked up at his friend and said, “You got me if I need it?” And his buddy responded, “You don’t need it, but I got you.” It was an incredible display of strength and he never did need his buddy to spot him, he got it. This is a reminder to all of us that working out spiritually has benefits in a community of believers. Most workout plans never last because individuals have no accountability, no community, and no relationships. We need each other to encourage one another along this spiritual journey. We find this biblical principle in Philippians 2:4 which says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Don’t be afraid to ask for help in your spiritual journey. Don’t spiritually work out on your own. You need the accountability of others, you need to share goals with one another. It’s nice to know people have are backs when we need it. A relationship with God is first and foremost, and right after that is godly relationship with others.
5 FIND MOTIVATION.
Whatever motivation you need, you need to find it. Motivation brings victory. Whatever we do needs a reason why we do it. It all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it. The temptation to quit will never go away. In his book “Your Best Year Ever” Michael Hyatt writes, “No one crosses the messy middle to reach their goals unless they really want what’s on the other side of discomfort.” Can I just remind each and every one of us that Heaven is going to be far more amazing than we could ever dream or imagine? I wouldn’t want to miss Heaven for anything in this world! In fact, the Bible says this in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (NKJV) I don’t know about you, but that gives me motivation to love God and love others. If you think Heaven is going to be boring, you’re wrong. If you think you’ll be in a diaper, floating on a cloud, strumming a harp. You’re wrong. Heaven will not be boring: that’s a lie from Satan himself. It will be a place of life everlasting. Life at its very best, without the pollution of sin. Filled with joy, laughter, fun, and most of all peace! Our work will be over. When you dream about Heaven you can’t dream too big! When you think about Heaven you can’t think highly enough about it; when I preach about Heaven, I can’t overemphasize how awesome it will be! Heaven is real! Heaven is going to be awesome! Don’t miss it!
When we put our trust in Jesus Christ we are made alive in Jesus Christ. It’s one thing to improve your life and clean it up a bit, but it’s another thing to be transformed by the power of God. Conversion is all about a body transformation, when we say yes to Jesus Christ, all things pass away and behold all things are made new. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, transformation takes place, and not just some minor upgrades. Anyone can clean up their lives, break some bad habits, and begin new habits that are beneficial to their health, but that is not a biblical conversion. The problem with turning over a new leaf is that you can keep turning it over and over again. Real salvation, and real conversion is the mark of God on your life, making you different from the world around you. Christians, if the world does not recognize you as being made new in Jesus Christ, have you truly been made new?
I believe the world will recognize someone who works out spiritually.
We all know a bodybuilder when we see one.
They stick out in a crowd.
So, will you commit your daily spiritual workouts to Christ, so that the world will know Who is the source of your strength? May God bless each of you as you work out, growing closer to Him in 2024.
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