When was the last time you tried to move or lift an object, but hesitated because you didn’t know if you had enough strength? A few years ago, it was impossible for me to lift luggage over my head because my arms had become weak due to lack of use.
When we don’t use our muscles regularly, they become weak. Then when we need them, we question their strength. By strengthening, stretching, balancing, and cardio one is able to get a well-rounded workout. It prepares us for day-to-day activities where one may need to use muscles.
So, what does that have to do with faith?
As we use our faith, it grows stronger. However, when life becomes predictable and effortless, we mindlessly seek pleasures. When you engage your faith in Jesus, you trust God, who cares and considers you precious. He sees your condition and has compassion for the trial you are in. You are His beloved. So when you have faith in Him instead of depending on others, you please Him.
Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Faith
So how do we keep our faith muscle fit? We have to spend time conditioning our faith, much like we use conditioning in our workouts. In the world of fitness and physical therapy, there are many forms of conditioning: aerobics, strength/resistance training, stretching and balance.
Challenging the Heart of Faith
Cardio exercise speeds up your heart rate and breathing, gives your heart and lungs a workout, increases endurance, and infusing your muscles with oxygenated blood to help them work efficiently. For example: brisk walking, swimming, running, or cycling. Healthy people should aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity.
Are you actively challenging the heart of your faith? We do this by actively walking out our faith in the day-to-day responsibilities of life resulting in our spiritual heart rate speeding up and our endurance building. It’s a working faith. We engage our faith by seeking God, believing Him, and relying on Him to direct our path. Sometimes we need to walk faster by obeying quicker, resulting in our spiritual heart rate speeding up and increasing our level of endurance.
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.
Strengthening our Faith Muscle
Regular strength training will help you feel more confident and capable while performing daily tasks like carrying groceries, gardening, and lifting heavier objects around the house. Strength training will also help you stand up from a chair, get up off the floor, and climb the stairs.
Strength or resistance training requires our muscles to contract to lift a heavy object against the pull of gravity. We need to do this, two to three times a week. For example: lifting weights and working with resistance bands as well as engaging in hobbies like heavy gardening, including digging or shoveling.
Do you engage your faith muscle to deflect negative thoughts? Our thoughts are often pulling us down, like gravity. But when we have been strength training spiritually, like reading scripture, we are ready to use our faith to declare God’s Word against negativity.
Negative thought:
- We will never have enough money- God shall supply for my needs according to his richness.
- I am weak– It is not me but Christ who lives in me. When I am weak, He is strong.
- I don’t fit in; God created me purposefully to fit into His special plan for my life.
Stretching your Faith
Stretching involves moving or holding parts of the body for the purpose of lengthening the muscles. Stretching helps maintain flexibility in order to increases range of motion, and reduce pain and prevent injury. In contrast, loss of flexibility increases the risk of muscle damage which can lead to cramping, pain, and further injuries such as strains, joint pain, and falling. For example: lumbar, hip flexor, quad, hamstring and calf stretches. Stretch at least 3 times a week.
Do you purposely go into situations you know will stretch your faith? When we get bored or uptight, it’s time to stretch again. What if we challenged ourselves to stretch our faith at least 3 times a week? Stretching keeps our muscles flexible and balanced. We need that flexibility to maintain joint mobility and health. Likewise, our faith needs stretching in order to remain flexible, humble and to develop endurance in becoming a healthy Christ follower.
Balance Faith Exercises
Balance exercises improve our ability to control and stabilize our body’s position making us feel steadier on our feet. Effective balance exercises use our inner ear, eyes and join receptors and muscles while strengthening our core to prevent falls. For example: Sidestepping, 1 leg stand, sit to stand and stand to sit, heel to toes standing or walking. Balance exercises should be done 3 times a week.
Are you seeking ways to strengthen your faith and achieve greater stability? You can do this by using your eyes to visualize your surroundings and ears to hear God in the core of who you are as a Christian. A steady faith can prevent falls and promote balance in our lives. With a steadfast belief, you can confidently navigate life’s challenges and overcome fear with grace.
What’s at stake?
If you don’t work out your faith muscles but instead choose complacency, then you will be a weak Christian who is susceptible to being tossed about and succumbing to your personal spiritual weaknesses.
Let’s choose to work out by strengthening, stretching, balancing and challenging the heart of our faith.
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Written by Kim Griffin
Other Health and Exercise
Joining the Gym (again)
New Year Health Resolutions
Good Health,
Scripture: Romans 5:3-5 ESV
A special thank you to Elizabeth Makous, who consulted on this article. She is my physical therapist and friend. If you are a woman with pelvic pain or have incontinence or a physical therapist who work with woman who do go to https://www.pelvicwhisperer.com/
Audio Version of Strengthening Faith:
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