Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Have you ever thought, “It’s my body. God doesn’t care if I exercise, does He?” God created our bodies so that we can do His will and work while we are on this earth. As indicated in the verses above, the Bible even goes so far as to say that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Now that provides some perspective! If we look at it through that lens, we should definitely nurture and cherish our bodies.
So, why aren’t we better stewards of our “temples”? I think many people see it as hard work. And it can be, but if you exercise, get sufficient sleep, and practice healthy eating habits, you will feel better and have more energy to live out your God-given purpose.
In this post, I’m going to focus on moving more. I’ve been nagging my daughter about this so thought I’d get ya’ll involved as well. I’m sure this is going to be a popular post:) I know that, if I didn’t exercise, I’d be bat sh*% crazy and an even hotter mess. Exercise definitely helps me manage my stress and anxiety and bring a better “me” to other areas of my life.
I’ve heard people share all kinds of excuses for not exercising. The most common is, “I don’t have time.” Honestly, we make time for what’s important to us. I think we could all give up 30 minutes of Netflix or phone scrolling. Some additional excuses are, “I don’t know what to do”, “I’m too old”, “I have limitations”. There is some type of exercise or movement that everyone can do. I have seen a guy at the gym in a wheelchair that does what he can, mostly upper body. And it does naturally become more of an uphill battle as we get older. But what’s the alternative? If you don’t stay active, you definitely won’t be able to continue doing all the things that you want to do and that God wants you to. I know I can’t do all the jump training I used to do because it’s hard on my joints and I pee😊 And the “itises” have come to visit me over the last few years (arthritis and bursitis). But I am going to keep at it and do what I can do!
if you aren’t currently incorporating much movement or exercise into your life, I am writing this to urge you to consider making a change. It doesn’t have to be big. Maybe just start by walking for 30 minutes a few times a week and build from there. Or wear a pedometer and challenge yourself to increase your steps a little each day. Or ease into an exercise program doing something you enjoy – yoga, cardio, dance, weight training, whatever. Over time, small changes can make a big difference. And remember you don’t have to be skinny. It’s just about becoming a healthier you.
Hebrews 12:1 says”…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” God promises to strengthen us and give us grace to run our race with perseverance. We need to do our part to keep ourselves in shape so that we can finish our race well.
If you don’t know how to get started and would like some coaching, I’m happy to help. Just reach out. This is definitely something I’m passionate about!
