This morning, I alternated running and walking for 2 miles. I also installed the My Fitness Pal app on my phone and computer and began keeping track of my food intake so this app can help me determine how many calories I need and monitor how many I’m actually getting. I’ve upped my water intake, and I didn’t use creamer in my coffee this morning.
But lest you be impressed with me, I must confess to this: I haven’t done anything like this in quite awhile. That’s why I need to do it now.
6 months ago, I was in the best shape of my life. I was eating healthy and exercising regularly. My muscles were well-defined. I felt strong, and my body felt somehow “clean.” But then the thought occurred to me that I didn’t want to eat so strictly for the rest of my life; nor did I want to worry so much about exercise. So I started eating whatever I wanted (oh, the bliss!), and I stopped exercising.
I gained 25 pounds and a size and a half in terms of clothing. I had to buy new pants since I no longer fit into any of my old ones. But I was happy. I was still at what most of society would consider a small clothing size, and I decided I was content with that.
Until I went to the doctor for routine bloodwork and discovered that I had high cholesterol. Way high.
Well, nuts. So much for eating whatever I wanted. Now I have to start eating healthy, not for my figure’s sake, but for my overall health. I want to be around a long time, and I want to be healthy while I’m here. Hence, the return to running, exercising, and eating right.
It’s going to take a lot of energy and discipline to change my habits so drastically. But it’s worth it if it means I’ll live longer and maybe get to see my grandchildren or even great-grandchildren.
I wonder, though…with all this effort that I’m putting into taking care of my body, which won’t last forever…am I putting in anything close to the same level of effort in taking care of my spirit, which will last for eternity?
Some days, yes. I have my devotional time with God. I pray and read my Bible. If it’s Sunday or Wednesday, I attend church. I try to apply what I’m learning to my life.
But some days, no. I get “too busy” to have my devotional time, or I forget. I attend church, but I don’t concentrate on the sermon or lesson. I forget to make application to my life of what I know to be true—or I remember that I should do so, but decide not to.
Some of you may be in the same situation I am, in terms of spending your time and energy taking care of other things and neglecting your spirit. But there ought to be a disconnect in our minds between devoting all our energies to temporary things and neglecting the eternal. It shouldn’t make sense to us.
I’m not saying we have to spend more hours reading our Bible or praying than we do cooking, exercising, or taking care of our other responsibilities. It’s mathematically impossible; there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But if we focus on our earthly responsibilities and possessions to the exclusion of our eternal ones, something’s wrong. If we find ourselves willing to put plenty of effort into things that matter for a little while but unwilling to make time for things that matter forever, we’re on the wrong path.
If you don’t really desire to put much time into spiritual things, you need to pray for God to change your heart and realign your priorities. If the desire is there, but you can’t figure out a way to make it happen, then ask God. He’ll tell you. Consult your friends (or me!) to find out what they do to make it work (though remember that your devotional time doesn’t have to look exactly like theirs).
Make it your goal to nourish your spirit, even more than you nourish your body. Train yourself to focus on what really matters—not just what matters for now.
If we live to be 100, and we’re still fit and healthy in body, that’s good. But if our body is healthy but our spirit is malnourished, we’ve been pursuing the wrong goal.
Don’t spend your life putting all your efforts into chasing after what’s temporary—bodily health, material possessions, or even the elusive “happiness.” Set your sights much higher.
Set them on eternity.
1 Timothy 4:7-8—Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (ESV)
2 Corinthians 4:18—So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.