God mysteriously created and intertwined our mind, body, and soul to create one being. Each piece of us is connected and precious in the sight of the Lord. How we care for our physical bodies directly impacts our spiritual lives. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says,
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”
Jesus died not only for our souls but for the redemption of our bodies. When we live again, we will still be embodied creatures. Philippians 3:21 tells us, “Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” The version of us to come will be a perfected body. Bodies matter now, and they will continue to matter for eternity.
Bodies are a fundamental part of God’s design, and as embodied beings, we are called to steward the skin we’ve been given well. When we live slothful, overindulgent, unsafe lives, we are held back in our pursuit of holy living. Exercise is just one vital piece of this stewardship puzzle, but one we often dread, put off, or disconnect this practice from our spiritual walk.
It’s exciting to see a wave of ministries, such as the Men's and Women's Alliance, and an emerging conversation in the Christian world that seeks to more concretely connect our bodies to our souls. We are awakening to the fact that God cares about the skin we are in, and we should, too.
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Exercise Enables Us to Live with the Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 states,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”
We can best live with these fruits when we are emotionally regulated. Exercise is a powerful tool that helps us control our emotions. We know that exercise creates a brain-made neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that improves cell growth in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls mood. When we make more BDNF, which is boosted by exercise, we boost our ability to regulate our mood and emotions.
Anecdotally, we all know this to be true. It’s really tough to remain grumpy, angry, or depressed after taking a long walk or a jog. As we move our bodies, we boost those positive cells that help overshadow the negative feelings we all carry around as we bear the weight of everyday life. Add some prayer to those sweat sessions, and you are sure to emerge recharged and better capable of handling what comes next with grace and peace.
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Exercise Enables Us to Live More Peacefully
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Yet, how many of us wrestle with anxious thoughts regularly? I do! One key to living peacefully and better trusting God with our lives is through the intentional movement of our bodies. Exercise calms the storms we often battle in our minds and souls.
Exercise offers relief when reacting to the stress we all encounter. It helps to turn off the fight-or-flight response, but it leads to that jittery feeling of panic when left unchecked. It helps our bodies work more harmoniously when it’s faced with stressors. It also boosts your endorphins, those feel-good hormones that help us live peacefully. When we exercise, we are better able to follow God’s instructions to live without anxiety. This naturally helps our minds and bodies function more peacefully as we navigate life’s challenges.
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Exercise Protects Your Body from Many Ailments
Sickness is a barrier to living a whole, vibrant life. When we are physically ill, so much of our time and energy is invested in getting better. It can be challenging to pursue our spiritual dreams when we struggle to get through our days in our bodies.
Exercise is not a cure for illness, but one way to guard ourselves against many diseases. We know that exercise guards against many cancers, reduces the risks of falls as you age, improves your chances of having a long life, strengthens your bones and muscles, helps you to remain active, can help you manage chronic health problems, boosts and guards your mental health, manages your blood sugar, protects against heart disease, and more! It’s like the ultimate prescription drug, but without that long list of side effects they rattle off at the end of the commercials.
As a being called to invest in the temple or body we’ve been gifted, it seems like a no-brainer that exercise is a part of that equation. Exercise is key in nurturing the gift we’ve been given in our skin. So start small and see how God meets you through movement in this holy stewardship endeavor.
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Exercise is a Great Way to Cultivate Community
Have you ever attended a grumpy exercise class? Or have you encountered rude people at the gym? Most likely, the answer is no because people are happy when they move their bodies, making exercise a great way to connect and cultivate a positive community.
This is why ministries like Men’s and Women's Alliance are so popular and effective. They marry the biblical community with the Bible’s call to care for your body. Fast friendship and a sense of community are quickly cultivated in this context. Lives are changed when these vital components that boost emotional, physical, and spiritual health are fused.
One of the best ways to grow in a friendship and care for your body is to walk with a friend. Sharing this time is a chance to connect while staying motivated to meet your exercise goals. Make your commitment to exercise a communal one, and you will see the benefits of this practice multiply quickly over time.
We must acknowledge that each part of our tangible body impacts how we engage with God. If our nervous system is overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, or trauma, we are going to struggle to connect to God and the other people in our lives that he has called us to love and care for.
In a tough season in our home, I found that every day, I was struggling to be patient and kind to my kids. I soon realized that I was struggling to maintain the character I wanted to display in my home because my nervous system was overrun by stress. I began waking before my kids in the morning to walk, run, do a short-weight circuit, and read my bible. Just this simple practice of moving before being required to respond to all the questions and needs that my kids wake up with helped transform my interactions with my kids. Sometimes, the answer to what feels like an overwhelming spiritual problem can be solved by some very simple, practical new rhythms of daily movement of our bodies.
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Originally published Monday, 14 April 2025.