Getting your God self in gear

I have said previously that fitness is not only about physical activities and nutrition but also about spiritual health.  The Bible says "¹⁹ 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; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." (1 Cor 6:19-20) God says we are to take care of our bodies (exercise and nutrition) because our bodies are a place where He resides. So it is important that we keep our spiritual health in tune with our physical health to be the well-rounded 'temple' that God intended.

For many years I was really good about this.  I prayed, went to church, ministered the gospel and all the things you do to maintain spiritual health.  Then there was another long period of time where I wasn't practicing this level of attention at all.  I only went to church sporadically, prayed even less and did nothing to advance the kingdom of God.  I got caught up in the thinking that I could still be a good follower of Jesus Christ without going to church on Sundays.  I used Sunday's to run races, be lazy, sleep in..... I was doing a good job of making myself strong and healthy but my spiritual health was sadly lagging.

Recently I decided that it was time to change that.  Coincidentally (or not) it was right after my oldest son was killed in a shooting accident.  I was of course devastated and I hate to admit but one of my first reactions was "God, why did You do this?"  If I had been spiritually healthy that thought would not have crossed my mind.  I realized soon after the funeral was over and I was back home to my routine that I needed to get back into a church family.  So we visited a church where my wife went a few times but I never had - Bakersfield First Church of the Nazarene.  It wasn't far into the service before I realized that this was where I needed to be, especially since Pastor Shawna Gaines preached that morning on 'blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted'. (Matt 5:4)

Now I am on my way to spiritual health again.  I still have some struggles, some commitment issues, but God is once more in my life in the primary place of importance that He belongs.  I look forward to how He will use me in this wonderful church family.