SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 The prayer life of a Christian can feel exhausting sometimes. Here is one of our simple prayers written to help you grow in your prayer life and connect with God, especially if you don’t feel like praying. Check it out!
Not Just Spiritual Gains
For some, hitting the gym, going for a run, or exercising is always exciting and a challenge. They love it! But for most people, working out feels like an obligatory and necessary drag. Bill Watterson said it best through his comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, “Grown-ups can only justify playing outside by calling it exercise, doing it when they’d rather not, and keeping records to quantify their performance…except you don’t get paid.”
And it gets worse when we consider the role comparison plays in working out. There’s always someone who can run further, lift more, or stretch further. Of course, there are also those who can’t run as fast, who lift less, and who can’t stretch as far. Hmmmm. Maybe we should focus on them next time we’re at the gym?
Either way, God gave us human bodies and called them good. They are so good, that the Holy Spirit finds his home in us. And we look forward to the resurrection of the dead when our bodies will not be a memory, but an important part of living with God in eternity. So for now, we’re invited to take care of these Temples in which God dwells and to enjoy God’s good gift of movement. So whether you are an “I love working out” person or a “Gyms are where happiness goes to die” person, this scripture meditation and prayer are for you.
“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” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
A Prayer Before Working Out
Bodybuilder, who knit me together in my mother’s womb and designed these muscles, tendons, bones, and nerves, help me care for this temple in which you dwell. Help me celebrate the gifts of a body and movement, and help me develop strength to serve others. Increase my flexibility in body, mind, and spirit. Lead me away from comparison— to run toward your love. Help these hands and feet become your hands and feet to the world. Amen
Simple prayers like this are a great way to engage in your prayer life and connect with God today. For more everyday prayers, visit this page!
