I have started the New Year on a very high note. One of the things I’ve decided to do to make this year happy and fulfilling is to get serious with my fitness journey. I’m doing quite well since I discovered something called faith-fitness. It’s basically inviting God into your fitness journey.

I’ve tried all kinds of workouts and exercises over the years in my pursuit of fitness. For instance, I’ve tried walking, jogging, and running. I’ve also tried aerobics, Zumba, skipping, etc. Many a time, I’d get tired of working out after a few days. At some point, I stopped working out altogether.

 

Guess what? This year, I’m back to keeping fit. I’ve been working out and exercising daily for the last two weeks. I believe I will continue for the rest of the year by God’s Grace. 

 

As I mentioned earlier, my inspiration to start a fitness journey this year is faith-fitness. This means that every time I work out or exercise, I invite God to be with me from the beginning to the end.

 

Like many of you, before I discovered faith-fitness, I wanted to keep fit for the wrong reasons. My motivation to work out included the following:

 

• To lose excess pounds
• To look good
• To be healthier and thus live longer
• To feel good and proud of myself
• To eat whatever I want without worrying about gaining weight
• To look younger than my years
• To fit into some clothes I’ve outgrown
• To feel more confident
• To show others that I’m disciplined
• To be the envy of others

 

As you can see, some of my keeping fit motives were okay, but most were self-centered. I wanted to work out to glorify myself. Can you relate to that?

 

What I forgot is that as a Christian, the motive of everything I do should be to glorify God. So, my motivation for keeping fit should be to glorify God, not myself. I urge you to make that your motivation too.

 

You see, when the motive of your fitness journey is to glorify yourself, you rely on your own strength when working out or exercising. In other words, you most likely don’t invite God in your workout. 

 

Maybe you feel like you can do it on your own. After all, what does God have to do with something as basic as a workout? 

 

You forget that God wants you to involve him in every aspect of your life, including working out and exercising.

 

What Happens When You Don’t Invite God in Your Fitness Journey? 

 

Suppose you don’t invite God in your fitness journey. In that case, you depend on your own strength. As a result, your chances of succeeding in your fitness journey are limited.

 

Here’s what happens when you don’t invite God into your fitness journey:

• You rely on your own strength instead of depending on God for strength.
• You often lack commitment – you only work out/exercise when you feel like it.
• You lack resilience – you quit your fitness journey easily.
• You get discouraged easily – you feel like giving up when you notice no significant changes on the weighing scale.

 

What Happens When You Invite God Into Your Fitness Journey?

 

As I mentioned earlier, if you are a Christian and want to succeed in your fitness journey, it’s best to invite God into the journey.

 

Here’s what happens when you invite God into your fitness journey:

• He renews your mind – you thus make your fitness journey God-centered instead of self-centered.
• He keeps reminding you that your body is God’s temple and you must therefore keep it fit and healthy.
• He gives you commitment to your fitness routine.
• He gives you the resilience to hang in there even when you don’t feel like continuing.
• He renews your body’s strength/energy when you feel weary.
• He encourages you to keep on keeping on.
• He protects your time – gives you time to work out/exercise.
• He transforms your body – makes it fit and healthy for His own glory.
• You experience spiritual and physical growth through your fitness journey.

 

How To Invite God Into Your Fitness Journey

 

If you believe in God, I urge you to invite God into your fitness journey from today onward. Make Him your partner, companion, and friend during your entire fitness journey. You’ll be amazed by the results (as I have been).

 

Here’s how you can invite God into your fitness journey:

 

Change Your Motive For Embarking On Your Fitness Journey

 

What is your motive for embarking on a fitness journey? Is it self-centered – like to lose weight, look good, impress others, eat whatever you wish, etc? 

 

If your motive is self-centered, it’s best to change it to be God-centered. In other words, your motive should be to glorify God and not to glorify yourself.

 

Here’s what a God-centered fitness journey looks like:

• I know God gave me this body. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I should therefore take care of it by keeping fit for God’s glory.
• I want to keep fit so I can be strong and healthy to serve God within my church, community, etc.
• I want to keep fit so that my brain can remain alert and awake – I can keep learning God’s Word and sharing it with others.
• I want to keep fit so I can be an example to others of how God wants us to care for our bodies.
• I want to keep fit to draw closer to God during my exercises and workouts.

 

Pray Just Before You Start Exercising/Working-out

 

It’s important to say a prayer just before you start your daily exercises or workouts. Remember, you want to invite God into your fitness journey. 

 

When you start with prayer, it’s a reminder that you’re not alone – God is with you from the beginning to the end. 

 

Here’s what you can pray for before starting your exercises/workouts:

• Thank God for the opportunity to work out/exercise.
• Strength to do the exercises you’ve planned for that day.
• Protection as you work out.
• Ask Him to gradually help you achieve your fitness goals.

 

Recite Scriptures During Your Workouts

 

Keeping fit is no mean feat. Sometimes, you feel tired, weak, and weary before or during the workouts. If you listen to your body or feelings, you might not start the workout or even finish it. 

 

That’s why it’s important to recite scriptures during your workouts. The scriptures motivate you to keep on keeping on.

 

Here are some scriptures you can recite during your workouts:

 

• Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

• So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

• But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

 

Listen To Uplifting Gospel Music During Your Workouts

 

Another thing you can do to invite God into your daily fitness journey is to listen to uplifting gospel music as you work out or exercise. For instance, listening to uplifting music is great when you’re running, jogging, using the treadmill, etc. 

 

The melodies and lyrics uplift your spirit and inspire you to continue exercising.

 

You can go for instrumental music, devotional songs, praise songs, worship songs, or hymns. It all depends on what tickles your fancy.

 

Finish Your Workout With a Prayer of Gratitude

 

It takes God’s grace to finish a workout session. So, don’t take it for granted. 

 

Here’s what you can tell God after your workout:

• Thank him for enabling you to finish well. 
• Thank Him for enabling you to make progress in your fitness journey.
• Ask Him to continue walking with you in your fitness journey.

 

Practice Humility At All Times During Your Fitness Journey

 

If you invite God into your fitness journey, you’ll definitely experience great changes in your physical body and your spirit.

 

People will also notice the changes in your body – weight loss, fitness, joy, etc. They’re likely to complement you for your achievements.

 

When you notice the changes and when people give you compliments, you could be tempted to boast and glorify yourself. Instead of doing that, it’s best to stay humble. 

 

Rather than saying how hard you’ve been working out, say that you’ve been walking with God in your fitness journey. He has helped you every step of the way, and you give Him all the glory.

 

Conclusion

 

If you are a Christian, I challenge you to invite God into your fitness journey from today onward. Your journey will be holistic. It’ll be a mind-blowing experience that nurtures your spiritual and physical well-being.

 

In other words, God will not only help you achieve your fitness goals but you’ll also grow closer to Him in the process. It’s a win-win for you.

 

All the best in your fitness journey with God.

 

 

Also read: 10 Awesome Self-care Tips for Moms; Give Yourself Some TLC Because You Deserve It