In 1 Timothy 4: 6-8, in the Living Bible, The Apostle Paul says, “Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do. So exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian, because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too.”

Exercising ourselves to be spiritually fit means that we train to respond, and not react to problems or circumstances that we are confronted with. Many act out of our emotions without the benefit of the mind of Christ.

In so doing, due to our emotions, we potentially react negatively, rather than respond spiritually by exercising the mind of Christ. The word exercise in the original Greek is gym-na-zō, which means to train the body or the mind. Gym-na-zo is where we get our English word gymnastics; or, bodily exercise.

Bodily exercise Paul says is all right, but what he is teaching here is that we need to learn how to exercise ourselves in spiritual matters. Paul further says Philippians 3:12, “I’m trying to apprehend that which has apprehended me.”

In the Living Bible translation of Philippians 3:12, Paul says, “I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be.”

Exercising ourselves in godliness prepares us to respond and not react to people, pain, pressure, or problems that confront us. We can live a healthy, spiritually fit life in this world, becoming all that the Lord wants us to be. This is what assures us of living our best life now because we are spiritually fit!