Exercise is Spiritual: Connecting Physical Wellness with Spiritual Growth

It sounds pretty bold to make the statement that bodily exercise is spiritual, but when you begin to dissect the topic, you realize that exercise and spirituality complement each other in the most unique way. We are not talking about exercise in the form of vanity, but rather exercise in response to who made you. If you are able-bodied and understand that God made you in His image, you have the responsibility to care for the vessel that you live in. If you call yourself a Christian, moreover, you should understand that as a servant of Christ, you must be ready and able to serve others in a fit capacity. Exercise has many benefits, but it should not be the believer’s main focus. Spiritual training is more important, knowing your Bible, serving others, sharing the good news, etc. 1 Timothy 4:8 says:

“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.”

While exercise may benefit us in this life, the Bible emphasizes that one should be more concerned with their spiritual status, for it reaps benefits now and in eternity. That brings us to our first point: Check if your exercise routine is an idol. Yes, something as healthy and productive as exercise can quickly take the place of Christ in your life. This is not a religious statement; this is a heart condition that you and I both have struggled with. The easiest way to determine if exercise is being idolized over Jesus is by evaluating your behaviors and actions. That is up to the individual to determine.

Take Care of Yourself

Our next thoughts lean toward the ideal that our bodies are supposed to bring glory to God. How we eat, drink, or whatever we do, it should bring God glory and point others to Him (1 Corinthians 10:31). Romans 12:1 states:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship.”

Our bodies are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), designed so perfectly by God, for God. Not only were they made perfect by our Creator, but they were bought at a sacrificial price. Our only response should be to take care of ourselves and not abuse the bodies we have been given. Healthy habits are critical to longevity and quality of life, and it is in these healthy habits that bring glory to God and position us to serve others.

Discipline Yourself

Spiritual discipline goes hand in hand with physical discipline. One could argue that physical discipline is a direct result of spiritual discipline. They complement each other because it is a relationship created by God Himself. We love the passage in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 which reads:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

The apostle Paul illustrates this so perfectly. In the same way we discipline our physical bodies, we should also be putting the same emphasis on our spiritual lives. One lasts forever; the other has benefits for this life but eventually will fail us. We need to make our spiritual lives our number one priority while balancing physical training as well. Understand that you are viewed by God as a worthy individual. When you value your own worth, you naturally want to take care of your basic needs. Self-control is a means of constantly evaluating your worth. Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Do yourself a favor and begin to build those walls up again. Challenge yourself to take better care of yourself, to physically train, and to feed your body nutritious things. Avoid gluttony; eat just enough (Proverbs 25:16; Philippians 3:19).

Set the Example

It is important to set an example for each other and for your children. We cannot stress enough how mutual care for health has greatly impacted both of us. We see how our kids enjoy when we workout, how they mimic our behaviors, and how they request to be apart of what we are doing. Physical training also puts you in a position to do the will of God, whether it be helping to install a roof on someone’s house, putting a play gym together with a friend for the kids, working all day on your feet in a soup kitchen, and more. We can truly be the hands and feet of Jesus when we keep our bodies in a good state of health.