Staying Spiritually Fit

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."
Mark 8:34

One thing about spiritual fitness is that it is a daily choice.

And because it is a daily choice, we can make a decision each day to do something that helps us to shed the "spiritual fat", mentioned in Hebrews 12:1, that begins to weigh us down unnecessarily.

Physical fitness continues over a lifetime. Although there are some basic exercises that just plain work (like sit ups), what works today may change tomorrow. Different areas need more attention from time to time (today it's your hips, next week it's the back of your arms). What we do impacts the lives of those around us, your decision to live a healthier lifestyle over time usually has benefits that affect the whole family.

Spiritual fitness has some basic exercises that work: scripture reading with application, prayer, fasting, giving, anf fellowship are just a few.

Overtime, God will reveal the "flabby, out-of-shape" areas in our lives at different times. And what we do spiritually definitely has an impact on our families, to the third and fourth generations and beyond.

Also, like physical fitness, spiritual fitness can get routine, mundane, and ineffective without the help of a personal trainer. Our personal spiritual trainer is the Holy Spirit of God, the person of God that dwells inside of each one of us as believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is concerned in us meeting our spiritual ideal. He will help us to take off that excess baggage, showing us where unrepentant sin is weighing us down. He will design a custom fitness plan to transform our soul and spirit. He will  direct us on which equipment will be most effective for our condition.

BUT, we have to show up!

Many of us have hired personal trainers in the attempt to meet our physical fitness goals. We might have had the best intentions of working hard at following their instruction to transform our bodies. But if we didn't show up to train, nothing changed. It's the same spiritually.

There is no magic quick-fix, no miracle pill, no fat-melting potion that will get us fit physically, and there is no hocus-pocus make-a-wish method that will get us fit spiritually.

Paul says, in 1 Corithians 9:25-27
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.

Following Christ is a "strict training" that requires discipline and commitment. It order to get the most benefit, we have to do our part daily -- commune with God (the earlier in the day we start, the better), meditate on the Word to apply it to our lives, renew our minds (Philippians 4:8), watch and listen for the guidance/teaching of the Holy Spirit, and practice the principles of confession and repentance-- SHOW UP FOR TRAINING!!!!

By doing this regularly, there is NO WAY we will stay the same...we will advance.