In preparation for our fortieth anniversary trip to the beach, a gift from friends, I set out to find a new bathing suit. I discovered that by the first of October, winter coats had replaced bathing suits. Needless to say, the selection was very limited! There were unique colors and designs still available, but very few sizes. I managed to find one that seemed to suffice. At the age of fifty-seven, and having given up weight training five years ago, I found shopping for a bathing suit comparable to having an in-grown toe nail jerked out- painful!! I left the store determined to get ten pounds off and my body toned and sculpted- if it’s possible to firm and lift sagging skin!
As I walked down the beach that first day, thinking about the need to be disciplined as to my eating and exercise, I found myself asking the Lord how I was doing in being disciplined and toned in my spiritual life. Physically getting a body toned and in shape requires a great deal of time and energy. Do I have the time to commit to having a toned and sculpted body – firm and fit? How much time am I willing to commit? If I commit to doing this, how much time will it require of me each week that I should be spending in toning and sculpting my spiritual body?
Pondering these questions, I thought about my life the past six years since Mark was diagnosed. Certainly physical training, being toned and fit would be beneficial when caring for him because of his limited mobility. Having the strength to assist him in maneuvering around would be helpful to us both. Gratefully, God made me strong, but in order to remain strong, I need to be working out with weights. Am I willing to give the time that this will require of me?
I thought about my spiritual training, the hours spent building my spiritual muscles through time in the word and prayer. In looking back over these years, I’ve been in training- God training. Through the circumstances He has allowed in my life, I have been toning and sculpting my spiritual muscles. I am much more spiritually fit today than I was six years ago. New strength has come through difficulty, hardship, and pain.
As I walked along the beach keeping a pace that challenged my heart, causing my calves to ache and my forehead to perspire, I felt that what God desires of me is balance in my life and in the usage of my time. He cares very little about my physical toning and sculpting, if in the process my spiritual muscles become atrophied. Neglect of physical exercise makes the body weak; neglect of spiritual exercise and training makes one’s walk and relationship with the Lord weak. We must work diligently to strengthen soul, and then body.
“Father, you know my heart and You know how much I want to be both spiritually and physically fit. Help me to be disciplined in spending time in Your word and in prayer. I surrender to Your Boot camp, knowing that the training program you have for me is best in toning and sculpting me into the woman You desire for me to be. Help me to be disciplined in my eating, exercise, and the spending of my time. I want to grow strong both physically and in my relationship with you!”
“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8 NKJV).
“Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers” (1 Timothy 4:8 The Message).
dianne