How We Get into Spiritual Shape

I have always made bodily exercise a priority. It’s a no-brainer that it’s good for the body. Many of our health problems can be traced back to a lack of physical exercise. Some businesses provide incentives for their employees to make physical exercise a priority. Employers understand the increased productivity and decreased absenteeism associated with a healthier workforce.

Nevertheless, our quest for getting into top spiritual shape should be far more important to us than our physical fitness goals. According to the Bible, “Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, KJV).

Based upon this verse, God has no problem with us being committed to physical fitness. The Bible even says that bodily exercise is profitable. On the other hand, godliness is far more profitable. There is no comparison between the two.

Godliness is not mere religiosity. Nor is it something we obtain simply by wearing the Christian label for many years. Rather, godliness refers to a life that is deeply spiritual but in a way that pleases God. That last point is not without significance. The Pharisees were deeply spiritual, but to say that their lives did not please God is an understatement. In short, godliness denotes Christlikeness.

According to the previous verse, 1 Timothy 4:7, we must exercise unto godliness. We all know how exercise works. One must be faithful at it to see results. You can often tell the person who has been putting the time in at the gym or on the park.

It works the same way for those of us who want to become or to remain spiritually fit. It’s not happenstance. We must faithfully work at it.

Three Vital Components to Getting into Spiritual Shape

We can get into top spiritual shape by regularly and conscientiously doing those things that pertain to godliness. They include:

a. Personal Bible study. Desire the undiluted Word of God so that you may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2).

b. Solitary prayer. Pray to the Lord in secret and He will reward your life openly (Matthew 6:6).

c. Applying the Word daily in your life. Don’t be a hearer (or reader) of the Word only but a doer also (James 1:22).

If you have not been doing these already, getting started may seem hard. But as you regularly do these spiritual disciplines, you will get more proficient with time. More importantly, you will gain spiritual strength.

Finally, as it is with bodily exercise, we must set time aside to get into spiritual shape. If we don’t but simply hope for the best, we will not realize success. Moreover, since the Bible says that godliness is far more important than bodily exercise, our commitment to the former should greatly outweigh our commitment to the latter.

Copyright © 2021 by Frank King. All rights reserved.