Faith and Fitness - Let’s Grow!

Pursuing genuine faith and a fit life-style have many parallels.  Here are some keys to staying motivated:

1. Consistency – same time, same place. This goes for both workouts and personal Bible study/prayer (quiet time).
2. Accountability – if someone is going to ask you how your workout was or how your quiet time went you’ll stay more consistent.  Seek out both spiritual and exercise accountability (friend, co-worker, pastor, fitness coach)!
3. Realistic Goals – set reasonable short term goals that lead to your long term goals (e.g., stick to a regular quiet time or workout plan for a week, eat healthy today). Short term goals turn into habits and life-styles.
4. Record Goals and Progress – keep a quiet time journal of growth in your relationship with God, record the workout for the day, list detailed goals and prayer requests. This will help you to stay on track and will serve as a great motivator when you look back on your successes, spiritual growth, and answered prayer. I have looked back in prayer journals from years ago and was struck by the faithfulness of God in my life!
5. Get Moving! – The most difficult part of the day for me is the first 10-15 minutes after the alarms goes off. What helps me the most is to just “get moving,” not think, and hit my routine.  If it’s a run day I get my workout clothes on, splash some water on my face, brush my teeth (helps to wake up), drink some water, and head out the door. I try not to think, but just move. If I think I tend to talk myself out of working out. “Get moving” also applies to working out later in the day.  So, GET MOVING . . . YES . . . YOU!
6. Aim for the A.M. - try to workout and have your quiet time in the morning before your day begins.  I know . . . I think the same things, “In the A.M.?!  Before the sun is awake?  Is God awake?  Ahhhggggg!”  Here is what you gain by getting going early.  Morning exercise awakens the metabolism and senses and kick starts your day. I believe a morning quiet time does the same thing for us spiritually. A morning quiet time sets the day in perspective, allows time to pray for the activities of the day, and quiets the soul helping us to hear from God. I’ve always felt better when I have started my day out right—quiet time and exercise! I don’t hit this everyday, but when I do it’s well worth it.

Achieving goals in faith and fitness takes determination and consistency. Both take “strict training” and a desire to “get the prize,” but remember which one is more important.

I Corinthians 9:24-25, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 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.”

Faith and Fitness - Let’s Grow!