25.7.18
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8
This year I am less worried about getting into physical shape than I am getting into spiritual shape. While it’s true, being physically fit is very important, (after all God gave us these bodies and it honors Him greatly when we do our best to take care of them) if we are spiritually unfit, it’s kind of pointless. These bodies will die, they will decay, no matter how many kg (or lbs) we lift or how much anti-aging cream we put on. We will get old and these bodies will stop. BUT our spirits will live on in our new and glorified bodies (Check out 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 for more info on that).
I mean, how sad would it be to get to Heaven, stand before God with nothing to show, and have to give Him some lame excuse like, “oh I’m so sorry I have nothing to show for my life, but hey, that six pack I had though, pretty cool, huh?” Now again, I am NOT downing you gym bugs. I too go to the gym four times per week, I get excited when I see results, and, I’m a dancer… being in shape is kinda of a must. But what I am saying is that having strong spiritual muscles will sustain you far more than any physical ones ever could.
We’ve all met that guy or girl who looks stunning. They have the perfect body. Perfect looks. They’re everything we’ve ever wanted to be and then… they open their mouth. It sadly becomes all too clear that they have spent more time working on their appearances than their character.
Or on a more serious note, what if, God forbid, your body took a hit, contacted some sort of disease or injury? Then what? Would your faith be strong enough? Would your character be well shaped in order to take on life’s hardest moments? (Fun fact: I’m re-writing this blog post while recovering from Covid and can do no physical activity. Though it is not nice, my faith is definitely getting exercised, haha)
The verse says, “godliness has value for ALL THINGS, holding promises for both the present life and the life to come.” That means, when we devote our life to God, not only does He promise us eternal life in Heaven, but also it has immense value for our present life.
So what is Godliness? Well, in very simplified terms, it is God-like-ness. So the next question would be, what is God like? The Bible says, He is patient, He is kind, He is faithful, He is slow to anger and abounding in love, He is gracious, He is strong, He is pure, He is holy, He is wise, He is forgiving, He is selfless, He is fearless, He is caring, He is just, He is passionate. He also is not temperamental, careless, shaken, insecure, selfish, deceitful, bitter. He knows who He is and because of that, we can know who we are and who we should be. He is everything whole, perfect and good.
If life did take its toll on you, but you had spent everyday of your life making yourself strong in “godliness”, then you will find you’re able to withstand the hardest storms with utmost strength. Not to say that it will be enjoyable or easy, but you will be strong enough to go through it and come out victoriously.
And not just that; going back to our ‘beautiful person’ analogy. How cool would it be, to not simply have a beautiful body, but a beautiful heart! Then out of your inner strength you can strengthen others? To not only be able to lift x-kg but also lift up a friend in need. To be known for your care, your wisdom and big heart rather than your big biceps (even though those are cool too 😉 )
I know that the world, society, IG, Tic-Tok, Ads, commercials, etc all push fitness and beauty down our throats 24/7. But what if we spent just as much time (or more), as we do in the gym, or applying make up, or editing a post, as we do in reading our Bibles, in praying, and in reflecting on our lives, choices and actions. Then take what we learn and apply it to our life. I think we’d all become much nicer, kinder, stronger, and happier people.
And then, to top it off, when we stand before Him one day, we will actually have something to show for this incredible life He has given us. All the lessons learned, the people we loved, the changes we made. I think it will bless His heart so much that we lived our lives in pursuit of becoming who He made us to be both spiritually and physically.
Soul Food 