In the creation of every breathing human, there was a purpose, it does not matter the circumstances surrounding their birth. According to the late Dr. Munroe, to every creature (including the cockroaches and ants we squash under our feet), there is a purpose. Physical and Spiritual exercises are a necessity to successfully complete this purpose. Six questions below will address both forms of exercises.
Who?
Everyone is expected to. While physical exercise can be done by everyone, spiritual exercise can only be done by those who have the right relationship with God and are living a victorious life above sin. You can have this relationship by accepting and confessing to God that you have sinned and need Jesus’s blood to cleanse those sins. Having faith that this is done and a determination to live holy will give you this relationship.
What?
It’s really simple. No relationship thrives without communication. Spiritual exercise is hearing from God and talking to God. Munroe said, If Jesus was on earth now, out of curiosity or awe, you would definitely want to follow him on social media or even physically, just to know what he’s up to or what he has to say. Well, He was and still is on earth! You should definitely follow the Bible every single day, Jesus is the Bible. That is hearing from God and that is the first basic spiritual exercise.
Secondly, continually giving praises to God for all He is and all He’s done, and prayer are profitable spiritual exercises. They enable us to speak to God and hear from Him as well.
Physically, according to professionals, anything that gets your heart pumping vigorously and has you breathing hard and fast for a couple of minutes is good exercise. Walking briskly, running, jogging, cycling, weight lifting, skipping and so on are great exercises. Get moving!
How?
Endeavour not to read the Bible on a surface level. Studying the Bible might seem a herculean task as some passages might seem unclear. Great Bible scholars have made it really easy. Various commentaries are available online with just a click on Google. Unclear verses can be typed in and commentaries read online, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Hard copy Bibles with cross-references also provide for better context and understanding. You can only please God and fulfil your purpose if you know what God created you to do, and you can only know what He created you to do by reading His word and applying it to your life. Also, when praying, after thanking God and stating our requests, let us endeavour to spend some time in silence, listening for God’s response.
For physical exercises, only do what works for you or what is recommended by your coach and combine this with a healthy diet. You are sure to begin reaping the benefits as soon as you start!
Why?
A great teacher once said, without God, man can do nothing, and without man, God will do nothing! If you do not pray, God will do nothing, your spiritual muscles will become lethargic and it eventually leads to spiritual death. Effective prayer cannot take place without diligent study of God’s word.
Physical exercise with a healthy diet keeps the heart strong and the body going, without which diseases surface and quality of life depreciates.
Spiritual exercise will enable you to FIND your purpose, while physical exercise will enable you to DO/FULFILL your purpose.
When?
Spiritual exercises must be done daily, non-negotiably! Asides from dedicated times for spiritual exercises, opportunities such as waiting in a queue, traffic jams and so on can be maximized for spiritual exercises. It’s easier to perform physical exercises when you know you have to do it daily, however, experts suggest three times a week is enough to keep the body fit.
Where?
Spiritual exercises can be done anywhere, from the bedroom to the bathroom to outdoors to places of worship! Physical exercises can be done in gyms, stadiums, race tracks and so on; however, to keep motivated, it is advisable to have some surface like a staircase or exercise equipment right at home if possible! That way, there will be little hindrances and no excuses!
Conclusion
It is all about the goal. Keeping the endgame in mind at all times will propel you; it will add fuel to your fire and purpose to your exercises, even when physical or spiritual weakness and lethargy kick in. Paul in 1 Timothy 4:8 says that “bodily exercise profiteth little”. An acquaintance of mine says ‘please add that ‘little’ to your daily activities!’
Knowledge is having the right information, understanding is having clarity about this information and wisdom is applying the clarified information. Application of what’s been read here will foster maximum benefits! Thank you for reading! Till next time!
Author: Charity O. Abass
De Vine 