Eat less, move more. That’s the key to getting in shape – right?
Well no, not really.
I have been endeavoring to ‘get in shape’ over the last 6 months. I recognized that I needed to lose some weight – at least 20 pounds.
The plan was to move more and eat less. A central component to my new lifestyle plan was frequent prayer walks down the mountainside to the lake then back up again.
On one of my earlier prayer walks I sensed the Lord ask me a rhetorical question,
“You know that getting in shape is more than simply losing weight?!”
I began to think back to my university years. One of the few elements of my education I remembered was the 5 aspects of physical fitness:
My attempts to lose weight were addressing 2 of the 5 aspects of physical fitness: body composition and cardiovascular capacity. My percent body fat was reducing, and the vigorous and rigorous prayer walks were also increasing my cardiovascular capacity. However, if I really wanted to get in shape I needed to address my muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility.
I began to realize this is an interesting glimpse into what it means to get in shape spiritually…
I would like to suggest these are 5 corresponding components to getting in shape spiritually:
Body Composition is the amount of body fat you have, versus the amount of lean muscles, bones and organs. Carrying excess weight is considered one of the most significant contributors to shortening your life span.
Likewise, we need to rid ourselves of “spiritual fat”: sinful habits, wrong beliefs, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc. Carrying this “excess weight” around in our hearts will limit the life we experience in Christ.
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Hebrews 12:1b
Cardiovascular capacity is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement.
Our spiritual ‘cardiovascular capacity’ represents the depth of our relationship with Christ. Our capacity to commune with Jesus so it is His life in us, not simply our own: His strength, His love, His Spirit, His heart, His life in and through us.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Muscular strength is the amount of force a muscle can exert in a single effort.
Spiritual strength represents the depth of faith we have in Jesus; our capacity to believe the Truth.
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10
Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to perform a continuous effort without fatiguing.
Spiritual endurance represents our ability to continue in faith; to persevere when the going gets tough.
“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4
Flexibility is the ability of each joint to express its full range of motion. Range of motion is significantly limited by muscles that are unable to ‘be at peace’ and stretch.
Spiritual flexibility is our ability to be stretched and not break; to remain in grace and peace when outside of our comfort zone.
“This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training… At the time, discipline isn’t much fun…Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.” Hebrews 12:7, 11 (The Message)
If we really want to increase our spiritual fitness we must grow the depth of our relationship with Jesus; reduce our ‘spiritual fat’; increase our faith in God and His Word; persevere in our faith; and remain in grace and peace when stretched by the trials of life.
It’s time to get in shape – in Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:8 (The Message)
“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.”