I have wanted to regain some strength and agility that I starting losing about three years ago as a result of some health issues that started rather abruptly but continued off and on for about two years. I knew that I needed some professional help from a personal trainer who could assess me correctly and not try to push me too hard or too fast. So four weeks ago I began.

Most of us are faced with the challenge of staying healthy and strong as the aging process begins to take its natural course. I have always kept myself active, knowing from observing others that becoming a “couch potato” or inactive is the quickest way to loose strength and agility as we age. But — three years of very little (by comparison) exercise was definitely taking its toll.

Getting back into a regular exercise routine is not as easy as I thought it would be and I have to say it would be easy to slack off or quit. I have two older friends in their 80s that are still going to a gym. I have made the decision to get back into better shape by doing the same. I want to be as active and useful for the Lord until I draw my last breath upon this earth. Pushing through pain or discomfort and taking the time necessary to exercise is a decision I had to make and still have to make every day.

I Timothy 4:7-8 is an exhortation from the aged apostle Paul to his younger son in the faith, Timothy. “…and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” Several other verses translate the last half of verse 7 as “keep yourself training for a godly life” or “train yourself in godliness” or “exercise yourself toward godliness.”

It is interesting to me that several scriptures that talk about the importance of godliness are in the context of the end times or last days of this age. 2 Timothy 3 is talking about perilous times in the last days. Verse 5 states “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” An athlete that trains does so to improve their skills, their strength and their endurance in the particular sport they are pursuing. How much more should each of us be pursuing a life of godliness that can have eternal benefits!

What exactly is godliness? I “Googled” it and only got what I would call “religious answers.” It was emphasizing works or performance more than a quality of character. Godliness should be an outward expression of an inward work of God’s grace that literally empowers us to walk in the authority we should exercise as sons and daughters of the King of Kings. I Timothy 6:6 states that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” 

When Peter was writing his second epistle to the young believers in his day, he exhorted them (and us) in 2 Peter 1:5-11 to pursue certain things including godliness. He states that if we do embrace these character qualities and they abound and increase in our lives, that we will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He assures us that when we pursue godliness and these other qualities that we will never stumble! I personally believe that means we will not be deceived like much of the world currently is, but will in fact operate in the power and authority that the Lord originally intended for us to walk in. We will walk in partnership with Him to see His Kingdom manifest here on this earth.

Right now it does not take much, exercise wise, to exhaust my limited energy and strength, but I can already see enough improvement to know that if I stick with the regimen I will continue to gain strength and stamina. As my physical trainer increases the demands he is making on my body, I will continue to see improvement. By using someone skilled to observe when it is time to add a new challenge or when a particular exercise may not be right for this time (exacerbating old injuries in a way that will impede my progress), I can confidently move forward through the discomfort, knowing that he has my best interest in mind.

The Holy Spirit is our spiritual “trainer.” He knows exactly what each one of us needs to make us into the son or daughter of our Heavenly Father, capable of ruling and reigning with Him in the sphere of influence that He has called us to fulfill. 2 Peter 1:3-4 states: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the word through lust.” He can make “winners” out of us if we will trust Him to use whatever means He deems necessary to bring us to maturity. Everyone’s training program will differ, just like no two people receive the same physical training program if they are at different levels of need, skills and future plans.

I know that my physical trainer has my best interests in mind when he assigns me a strenuous routine that causes me to have to use not only my body in ways that will benefit me, but also use my willpower to continue when I may feel like giving up. He has earned my trust. Because I really know that the Holy Spirit God loves me unconditionally, I can also trust Him implicitly when He “demands” more from me than I may want to give or yield to Him. 

When He asks me to do something outside of my comfort level, I have to make a choice. Will I be obedient and trust Him or will I use my own reasoning or even fears and natural limitations to keep me from becoming what He designed me to be from my mother’s womb?