Why Fitness?

This morning, a friend and I were discussing something similar to this, and I thought it might make a good post.

Why work out?

Motivation is probably one of the hardest things to initially find and sustain.  As soon as I injured my shoulder last Fall, I started to decline my gym time, and eventually fell totally out of shape.  And it was a habit I had been building for months!

So what might fitness look like under the Lordship of Jesus?

Well, some quick thoughts:

• We know that our bodies can do incredible things.  I don't think that means it is mandatory to do achieve those extraordinary limits, or that doing so means God is giving someone who is super athletic a little extra lovin'.  But I do think he is pleased when we do decide to take a run at our limits.  For some of us the interest in that is fitness related, either exclusively or as one of our many interests.  For some of us it's artistic or other skills.  But at the least, I think God is pleased when we push our bodies.  He designed them, after all.  If I built a hot rod, I'd want to see it run hard and free on a long stretch every now and then.
• I think we can deduce that, though we all have varying abilities, there is a point where the way we treat ourselves physically goes from "okay" to "damaging ourselves."  The latter is a space that I personally felt convicted about recently.  God gave me this body, it's the vehicle of my existence, and I do things that just abuse and break it down, but which never result in building it back up.  Sure, working out tears down muscle, but that's so the muscle can build back up and be stronger.  But damaging my heart and blood vessels and arteries through unhealthy eating choices and a sedentary lifestyle isn't the same thing.  I wouldn't be so bold as to preach from a pulpit that for everyone it is sin to fall into such physical disrepair, but I believe it was for me and I'd encourage anyone to pray about it and examine the attitudes that may be putting them there, barring any health or injury factors like thyroid problems that may be contributing to limit them, or make fitness goals more difficult.
• I think, personally, that at the least a healthy diet and a maintenance style exercise routine are God honoring and even worshipful.  I think for those who enjoy being athletic, there can be personal moments of worship and God glorification that happen when they achieve new fitness goals, just as an artist may feel that way in learning a difficult song, finishing a painting, or a mathematician may feel while working through difficult equations.

Those are some of the things that are forming my kind of, Theology of Fitness.  What about you?

--H