Physical training is of some value!

Early last year, I joined a fitness challenge on Facebook. To be honest, it was the most difficult time to exercise because I had just delivered a few months earlier and my body was just tired from everything. However,  I realized that even though I was not so consistent with the fitness challenge, I became very fit and easily lost some weight I was struggling to deal with. I was able to do more, and fasting intermittently became easier because my body was already lighter. Out of sheer joy, I ended the fitness challenge abruptly and now, I find it even difficult to make time for body exercises. I know that some people will wonder why keeping fit as a Christian is necessary. My response is if you are not fit, even if the church service is brought to your doorsteps, you cannot join. You cannot worship God in dancing (if you like to raise your hands and body in worship) and your prayers will be centered on “Lord  give me strength.” 

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)

It is not bad to pray for physical strength from the Lord. In fact, in the Bible, we see so much healing and deliverance to make sick people well. The ministry of Jesus was filled with so many miracles. He healed the sick, the lame and all sorts of infirmities and made the people whole. The prophets of old and disciples of Jesus operated in the healing ministry and we have been tasked to continue this mandate (Mark 16:18). However, we need to be physically strong in order to go into the world and fulfill our great commission. If we fail to take care of the body God has given us, we will fail to reach the souls God has sent us to minister to. One of the ways to ensure that we are fit for the task is to do physical training. Yes, body exercises! Is that in the Bible, you may ask. Yes! Paul admonished his spiritual son Timothy with these timeless words: “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).

Whenever we read this verse, we tend to focus on the second part and ignore the first. Physical training or bodily exercise is of some value and the value no matter how little it is, it is important that we hold on to it. These bodily exercises include fitness training (discipline), abstaining from unhealthy foods, intermittent fasting, abstaining from substances that are detrimental to your health etc. These may sound insignificant but we ignore the little value of taming our bodies, we will be tamed on beds by our weak, sick, fragile bodies. Take time after work to take a walk, use the skipping rope if you can, do an aerobic dance with your favorite gospel music, do a run, walk your dog, take the children to the park and run after them, avoid junk foods, eat healthy, avoid certain treats if they contain too much calories, cut your consumption of alcohol,  avoid substance abuse etc. 

After you have done all these, continue to walk on godliness because “godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8b).