I have been seriously working out for the past couple of months, and I am hooked on the progress that I’ve been making - from the increase in weights, to the decrease of my gut! I’m hooked! I love the work that I am putting into myself and only helps my energy, self-esteem and whatever else! But today, I’m reminded of the following scripture:

This is true. Whether we attend the same church or not, whether we have devoted our lives to God or not, millions of people pray. But let’s look at Saul of Tarsus. Saul was an extremely religious and respected man. He had prayed hard, but his prayers were memorized or recited. And when he fell blind on the road to Damascus, he began to pray with his heart. We need to talk to God (and often), not with boilerplate statements, but from our heart, because He truly is our best friend.

Also remember that God puts people into our lives. And despite our hesitations to do so, it is needed not only for the others involved, but us as well. In Acts 19, when God told Ananias to go look for Saul, Ananias’ response was somewhat understandable: "I’ve heard of him and the things that he’s done to your people, and he’ll do the same to me" And despite his hesitations, Ananias did what God commanded. He found Saul, placed his hands upon him and said:

The next thing that need to do for our spiritual workout plan is share our faith. In my second paragraph, I had said that we are all "billboards for God". We advertise Him, because our friends/family/co-workers know how we used to be and see the differences in us today. Each of us has an incredible story to tell (I just believe that it’s a matter of how we creatively "see" this story). Acts 9:20 states that Paul began preaching "at once". Why? Because what happened to him was transforming & life-changing. And this is what God wants us to do… This is His Plan for each of us - What He’s given us, we must share that story with others.

And the last thing that we need to remember in our spiritual exercise regiment is… There will be pain. If you work out and don’t get sore, is that right? The soreness is something that your body tells you how your workout was effective. It’s something that never goes away, meaning, if you workout properly, whether it’s your 1st or 500th time in the gym, your body will get sore. Life as a christian is the same.

Just because we have God, we are given so many invaluable gifts & blessings, but a struggle-free life isn’t one of them. Saul was a respected man, a persecutor of Christians, but became a fugitive himself. Jesus, the Son of God, even the people who claimed to love Him, turned their backs to Him. A God-led life will see many forms of difficulty & persecution, but we need to remember "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in youis greater than the one who is in the world." [1 John 4:4] God will sustain us through each of these trials… we just need to hold onto that promise.

Exercise is a great habit to have - it’s proven to help us lead healthier, happier lives, but so much more of this can be said when we follow God. Just as we may want a leaner, meaner body, but God can transform our souls to the people He sees us to be, and not who we currently are. Salvations is truly the prize at the end of the marathon, but it’s the work that God does to each & every one of us during that race, that matters. So, take some time and perform a spiritual assessment on yourself. Where can we each grow for God? What part of my spiritual self do I want to strengthen? Because, not only does the result of this reflection draw us closer to God, but also draws others to Him as well.