Everyone has their reasons for training. For some, it may be to lose body fat or build muscle. For others, it may be to compete in a sport. There are some who do it for the social aspect. Maybe for you, it’s to keep the impact of aging at bay. Whatever the reason, it’s YOUR REASON and no one else’s!
For me, mine is simple. It has nothing to do with fat loss or muscle gain, sports competition, social experiences, or aging. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those benefits but that’s not what gets me up at 3:30 in morning. No, there’s something more. I believe God has given us a body for a reason, a purpose. Just like your reason for training, everyone’s purpose is different and unique.
The only way to fulfill our purpose is with our body. Think about it.
Great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Franklin Roosevelt, and Gandhi needed their body to lead nations and peoples. What about philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie or Bill Gates? They needed their bodies to be able to generate wealth and then give it away.
Not relevant to you?
What about the teachers in your kid’s school? They need their bodies to deliver knowledge every day. What about the farmer who grew the vegetables you had for lunch? They too needed their body to do work.
It has nothing to do with perfect health (i.e. Roosevelt), a six pack, or a 500 lb squat. The body is a tool that we are provided to carry out our purpose. God has entrusted each of with ONE and ONLY ONE. You are the steward of your body just like I am mine. In order to carry out whatever purpose God has given me, I have chosen to honor Him and take care of the only body I’ll ever have. If I’m lazy and don’t train, I’m not honoring God. If I choose to litter my body with man-made chemicals, fast foods, cigarettes, or alcohol, I am not honoring God.
Do I think that God expects us to be perfect and never miss a training session or eat a Big Mac? No! But that doesn’t mean we get a free pass either.
So, my question is this…
Are you honoring God with your body? If you are not a Christian, are you honoring yourself by taking care of your body?
