Frantic About Your Figure?

We never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I don’t know about you, but I quickly lose heart when it comes to exercise. I know it is important because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), but fitting exercise into my schedule seems to require too much discipline. Right now what seems to work best is to plug in a twenty-minute video. I have accepted that I will never again have my cheerleader figure.

But more effective than any exercise regimen, fixing my eyes on Jesus instead of on what is seen—like my figure—has helped expand my very limited perspective of myself and my life into a broader, eternal one! When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we never need to lose heart with our limitations because He promises that our troubles are small and will not last long in view of the vast expanse of eternity. They will not even tip the scales when it comes to the eternal glory we will possess when we are out of earthly breath.

For now, as I continue to discipline myself to exercise for my physical well-being, I’m going to exercise my mind and heart to focus on His long-range plans for my good, too, so I don’t become hung up on the temporary complaints about my figure or on any other longings of this passing life.

As we daily exercise our minds and bodies, let us fix our eyes on Jesus rather than on our figures. As we do, He will permeate every area of our lives and direct us in tangible ways to please Him—not only in our physically tired temples but in every area of life so we will not be weary in well-doing.