Body and Soul: keeping physically and spiritually fit is the best thing one can do for themselves.

Is it really necessary for me to be physically fit when I am fit spiritually? Is it beneficial to engage in physical activity or regular exercise for it is not my priority as a Christian? Why should I exercise when I can spend the time engaging in spiritual activities? We Christians may ask ourselves these questions regularly as we sincerely don’t see the need to worry about our body or physical fitness because all that matters is our spiritual life or our daily walk with God. This article will enlighten you and help you see the need to be physically and spiritually fit and how they work together to enhance your walk with God.
“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come,” says 1Timothy 4:8. The bible doesn’t rule out the need to be physically fit and at the same time spiritually fit, bodily exercise profits a little but it is also important.

To be spiritually fit, you also need to be fit physically, there is a great connection between your spirit, soul and body. You need all the systems in your body to work properly to get the best out of your spiritual walk with God. Being physically fit enhances the good use of our instruments of righteousness, our bodies.

Being physically fit doesn’t just mean regular exercise; it also requires you to maintain a healthy diet. As a Christian, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, your body is not yours; your body is the Lord’s. You are a steward of your body here on earth. Your body is a habitation of the Holy Spirit; you are not supposed to feed the body where the Holy Spirit dwells with unhealthy things like excess junk food, fatty foods that could cause damage to organs in your body.

To be physically fit means you are in a good state of health and well-being, your body has the ability to function effectively, your immune system is strong and ready to fight off diseases and you are able to react to emergency situations if the need arises.

Being spiritually fit means being in constant fellowship with God as a Christian, walking according to his precepts and statutes.
It is important that there is a healthy balance between keeping fit physically and spiritually. See it as being physically fit is hitting an earthly gym and being spiritually fit is hitting the heavenly gym. They both have their respective values, planning and setting time aside for your physical and spiritual fitness will do you a lot of good.

If as a Christian, you are keeping your body in shape, eating healthy, cutting down on junks and doing every other thing necessary to keep you physically fit but you are very inconsistent in your walk with God. You need to find a balance, physical fitness is important and so is your spiritual fitness, you need both to live your life to the fullest. These physical bodies will die eventually someday but your soul is being renewed day by day. According to 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Our outward man is perishing (Aging process), yet the inward man (your spirit man) is being renewed day by day. That renewal comes from daily fellowship with God, an intimate relationship with Him will make the difference in your life.

Spiritual exercise as a Christian is a priority, the word of God says “to seek first the kingdom of God” but to participate in some of the activities that involve advancing the kingdom of God, you need to be physically fit. When you are fit physically, you are capable of living life and engaging in spiritual activities to its full extent. For example; one of the things we do as Christians that involves advancing God’s kingdom here on earth is preaching or spreading the gospel to people, that requires your body to be strong for effective participation, you cannot effectively preach the gospel when you are indisposed or weak which are effects of physical inactivity.

Regular exercise improves the quality and length of service we can offer to God here on earth. Treating the body well by engaging in regular exercise and refusing to live a sedentary lifestyle is important as physical inactivity can predispose one to various medical conditions like stroke, cardiovascular diseases, depression and so many others.

To be physically fit is independent of age as is spiritual fitness. Anyone who wants to live a healthy life, serve God and walk with Him should engage in regular exercise because of its numerous benefits.
When trying to communicate with God after a stressful day at work, we know how that ends up most of the time, you either sleep off or you scratch prayer off your list for the night. Studying the word, meditating on it and praying are important to keep you fit spiritually. Physical exercise has been proven to alleviate stress, engaging it in could help you grow spiritually by enhancing effective communication between you and God.
The exercises that you require to be physically fit do not to be rigorous, it is not about losing weight (if not necessary), getting a flat tummy or abs, it is about a healthy lifestyle. You may just walk or jog around the block for 30minutes every day, you can also use a skipping rope as these activities help to build up your cardiovascular system (heart, lungs and blood circulation).

Physical exercise helps you stay alert and focused when you study the word and pray. It has an important role to play in our lives as Christians.
So, dear Christian Brother or sister, young or old, it is time to hit the gym and engage in regular exercise, it is time to leave that sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle behind and begin your journey to being physically and spiritually fit as godliness is profitable for this life and the life to come as God has promised.