Spiritual Squats

Several months at church (the best church ever) our pastor (most amazing pastor ever) talked about nurturing our mind and soul with the same dedication we give our bodies.

What a timely sermon that was. I was in the midst of cycling every week for the big bike ride. I was consumed with working out, eating good foods for my ride, and dwelling on my new muscle development. So to hear the pastor talk about our spiritual lives taking a back seat to fitness, really struck a nerve.

I guess I struck that nerve again on my own.

I will confess, I am also an author of another blog site. A few friends and I started it last August and it is designed to encourage fitness and diet, and ultimately weight loss for us twentysomethings. We post our weight to each other, list our struggles, and offer encouragement for the yo-yo dieter. It really is awesome and I love having a place like that to turn my frustrations and celebrations to. This month we're trying to workout 4 times a week for 4 straight weeks. So 16 workouts in a month - it's our Workout Challenge.

When was the last time I spent 16 times in one month just focusing on God? Sure I say my prayers daily in the midst of my activities, and I take great sermon notes every Sunday so I can absorb all the wonderful words spoken through my pastor. But I'm sitting here more consumed with working out 4 times a week, training for stuff, and introducing new interests to my world, and yet I've put off starting a Bible study with a girlfriend of mine all summer. Each month we postpone it to the next, and I'm still not any closer to reading my Bible on a weekly basis, or really listening to God and understand what He want from me. Shouldn't I be turning my conversation towards what I'm learning from God and what He's teaching me, rather then talking about my latest fitness accomplishment, or that new muscle that is finally looking firmer? My words each day reflect where my heart is at. Right now it's at the gym and focused on myself, and it's not on Him.

I know that reading my Bible and being in a Bible study or going to church weekly doesn't make me a "better Christian", but I also know that God asks us to sit still and listen; come to Him. I am going to the gym, the neighborhood running loop, the bench press, the mountains, but I am not going to Him with the same enthusiasm and discipline.

Maybe I need to start as simple as having a God Challenge to accompany my Workout Challenge. Four times a week I'll sit with God and spend time with Him (in whatever way that is), and I'll still squeeze in my workouts. It's a delicate teeter totter when it comes to balancing the goals for the body, and yet still strengthening the heart and mind.

At the end of the month it would be nice to know that my walk with Christ grew stronger, as well as my walk around the block.

Psalm 42:1-2, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (NIV)