Daily Devotional Wk9 Daniel Fast Day 12 - 02/29/24 - Exercising For Life

Author: Evangelist Lisa L. Dalton

Exercising For Life

I Timothy 4:8
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Devotional:
When you hear about a person who is into health and fitness dying, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Perhaps it's this. "What, wait, they died! Really! Well, how did that happen? They were in the gym every day and always ate healthily. They would be considered a poster board for health and fitness. If they died and was in the gym all the time, what’s gonna happen to me?” I’m not sure why the perception is because you’re healthy or fit, you are immune from death. Not so.

 Many people think because a person works out and eats right, they are going to live a long and healthy life. Now, don’t get me wrong, having a healthy lifestyle can add years to your life but it doesn’t make you immune to death. This statement is not for you to stop working towards a healthier lifestyle. By no means. Please keep up the good work.

In this letter to the church, Paul is expressing to them that they should be striving for Godly exercise because bodily exercise profits very little in the things of God. Physical exercise does not guarantee eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Discipline in godliness affects both our present and future life. It’s not profitable to spend hours in the gym and spend less time growing in the things of God. You must make time to exercise in the word of God as well. You have to put that time on your schedule just like you do physical exercise. Why be fit in the body but weak in your walk with God? It profits nothing in the end. I don’t care how much weight you can lift, how many squats you squat or how many miles you run, none of it matters when your number is called.

As you go throughout day twelve of your Daniel fast, focus on how much time you spend building up your personal temple. Does it match the amount of time you spend building up your spiritual temple? If it doesn’t, now is a good time to start exercising in this area of your life. Just like we exercise our physical body to be stronger, we should exercise our spiritual body to be stronger.

Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for giving me the discipline to not only exercise my physical body to be strong here on earth but to exercise my spiritual body, so I’ll know how to live according to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.