Spiritual Exercise

 I broke a bone in my foot several years ago and had to wear a short leg cast for 6 weeks. When the cast came off, I was surprised to see how much smaller my calf muscle was. It doesn’t take long for our muscles to begin to atrophy if we don’t use them at all. The same principle is true for our brain. Studies have shown that the best way for people to maintain their cognitive function as they age is to actively exercise their brain by reading, doing puzzles, and other such activities.

 

It should come as no surprise, then, that the spiritual part of our being needs constant exercise as well.  If the only exercise we get is going to church once per week, we’re likely to find that we are pretty flabby Christians.

 

Paul wrote two very personal letters to Timothy, advising and encouraging him in his work, writing, “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…..set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Tm 4:7,8,12).

 

The principles for spiritual exercise are the same as those for physical exercise. They involve the regular repetition of activities designed to build up and strengthen the spirit. Regular prayer time, daily reading of the word of God, and regular worship with other believers are the starting point. They form the foundation to build our spiritual lives on.  With our spirits strengthened, we are better able to deal with the struggles of everyday life and do the works we are called to do.

 

We’ll talk more about this in the months to come.