"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break and steal."
Matthew 6:20
R.A.L.I.
As MD5 men we know what those 4 letters mean. I want to focus on the “I” and being fit enough to invest eternally.
What is fitness?
If you look it up, the primary definition is “The condition of being physically fit and healthy.” But right under that it says, “The quality of being suitable for fulfilling a particular role or task.” That’s where I want to focus today.
In My Line of Work
As a physician I see all levels of fitness in my clinic from Ironman runners to, “my inner body wants to exercise but I bribed it with a donut.” The level of fitness a person reaches usually has to do with a goal set or a job they must do.
For example, a firefighter tends to be in better shape than a teacher. Someone that’s signed up for a 1/2 marathon is probably in better shape than someone that hasn’t.
Every day I give my patients the American Heart Association recommendation of 150 minutes of cardio exercise per week. This reduces your risk of a cardiovascular event by 30-40% and can lead up to 9 years of longer life. Just 150 minutes. 2.5 hrs. That’s literally 1.5% of your week. To add over 10% to your life.
Are We Spiritually Fit?
Here’s my question to you and myself: Are we spiritually fit?
In other words, are we “suitable for fulfilling the role” God has called us to. We are called as men to shepherd our families. We are called to be disciples that make disciples. We are called to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul. We can’t fulfill those roles unless we are “fit” enough to do so.
We certainly can’t “run the race” if we don’t start jogging. Being able to do 100 pushups or 20 pull-ups or run a 7 minute mile is great, but we have to be mentally and spiritually fit as well. I can’t remember the last time the devil challenged anyone to a 5K. But he has certainly attacked us mentally and spiritually.
So what’s the remedy?
How do we increase our fitness mentally and spiritually?
We know the answer: by investing eternally, starting with ourselves. But are we doing it?
Here’s the Follow Up Question
What would investing 1.5% of your week pursuing the Lord look like. Talk about an eternal investment with huge returns! Just like I tell my patients about cardio, there are numerous ways to get that 150 minutes/week.
There are also may ways to spend time developing our spiritual fitness:
Read the Bible
Listen to a podcast
Attend Bible Study Fellowship
Read a book
Listen to an old sermon
Pray
There are lots of ways to pursue the Lord. We just have to get started and make sure we are disciplined in doing so.
The last advice I give patients is to make sure you enjoy your cardio. If you hate running don’t go buy running shoes. So, if you don’t like reading, listen to a podcast or audio books. Find something that you like, set a routine, and get started.
Thad Hardin
MD5 Facilitator
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