Did you make physical fitness a priority during the pandemic? With gyms closed, many people took to the streets for exercise. Traffic on the bike trail near my home dramatically increased. A couple of my sisters started walking several miles a day. After trying that, I decided to stick with my step aerobics and weight training. So, I bought equipment online and found YouTube classes to continue getting my heart rate up. These workouts not only keep me in better physical condition, but also release endorphins that lower my stress level. That’s why I’ve made them a habit.

While that physical workout provides many benefits, it doesn’t do much for fear of the unknown. The kind of fear a pandemic generates or that’s brought on by a sudden job loss or an uncertain future. That takes a spiritual workout–a deliberate effort to strengthen my faith and refocus my mind on God.

In the Face of Fear

What are you most afraid of? One of my greatest fears involved a temptation that I couldn’t resist on my own strength. Do you know what that’s like? Maybe you struggle with an addiction to alcohol or compulsive shopping or gambling or porn. Or perhaps you’re constantly tempted to escape with a bottle of wine, comfort food, or endlessly scrolling social media. And, you wonder if that might be a problem.

The temptation that changed my life involved a former lover. Long convinced this Norwegian navigator would be my greatest spirtual test, he eventually was. An international playboy, he came back into my life through a phone call several years after I married someone else.

The main reason our relationship ended was because I wanted the stability of home and family, and he was at sea eight months of the year. Refusing to continue on what would have become a disastrous path was the hardest decision I ever made. This lover satisfied me on every level–physically, emotionally, and intellectually. But the reality was that our relationship wasn’t sustainable. We had different values and lifestyles. Yet ultimately, he had cared for me, more than anyone else in my life (see The Windblown Girl). The only way to resist seeing him was by begging God every morning for His help.

That test of my faith turned into answered prayer. For awhile I’d been asking God to give me the discipline to connect with Him every day. The intense heartache over resisting the Norwegian’s charm proved to be the catalyst for developing a far more important relationship. Perhaps some of what I learned about a spiritual workout may be helpful for you as you face an uncertain future.

Developing Spiritual Discipline

My early morning rendezvous with the Lord started with fifteen minutes a day. That meant getting up before the rest of my family. Consistent prayer and Bible reading gave me the courage to meet this trial in a way that respected my husband and honored my marriage.Through many tears, I expressed my concerns to Jesus with such honesty that it gave our relationship freedom to grow. (He already knew my deepest secrets, so trying to hide my feelings was pointless.) As it did, so did the length of time I wanted to spend with my Lord.

Over the years, spiritual discipline has kept me sane during many high-anxiety situations. Covid. The loss of a job I loved. A second divorce despite all my best efforts. Almost losing my childhood home, the home I raised my sons in. Other trials that involved poor choices by people I loved that resulted in serious consequences for me. Sitting with God first thing in the morning allows me to bring all my concerns to Jesus just as He told me to in Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.

By developing the habit of a daily spiritual workout, I learned to face my fears head on. Time in God’s gym strenthened my faith and taught me how to deal with numerous issues from my past–issues that could have destroyed me and others had I tried to do things my way.

In the Face of Injustice

Some like Dietrich Bonhoeffer don’t have to overcome a background of poor choices. Yet due to circumstances beyond his control, he was arrested and thrown into prison by Nazis during WWII. Although his parents raised him well, in Bonhoeffer’s biography Eric Metaxes wrote that:

Bonhoeffer was not ‘naturally’ strong and courageous. His equanimity was the result of self-discipline, of deliberately turning to God (p. 463).

As Bonhoeffer faced an uncertain future, the Psalms and Revelation “were a great comfort to him.” The hours he spent every day in God’s Word and prayer sustained him. He later told a friend how:

the heavy air raids, especially the last one, when the windows of the sick-bay were blown out by the land mine, and bottles and medical supplies fell down from the cupboards and shelves, and I lay on the floor in the darkness with little hope of coming through the attack safely, led me back quite simply to prayer and the Bible (p. 463).

That’s the result of a habit built over time. And, we don’t have to be in prison to experience that level of peace.

Staying Safe and Secure

During two car accidents where I was hit by other drivers, I experienced a level of security similar to Bonhoeffer’s. I’m convinced that years of developing my habit of turning to Jesus in a crisis prevented me from being hurt. Just as the muscles in our bodies develop with intentional training, that’s true for exercising our faith. My habit of turning to Jesus in every crisis held fast, even as another car slammed into mine so hard that it bent the frame, Twice! In that very moment, somehow I relaxed into Christ’s comforting embrace. Twice my car was totaled. Twice I suffered no harm. And, twice I was astonished by the level of peace I experienced during the accident.

Regardless, God’s grace absolutely must not be taken for granted. Sometimes His purposes lead to suffering. The daily discipline of a spiritual workouts give us the strength to stay the course even in the worst circumstances. Bonhoeffer’s story attests to that as he was ultimately found guilty and executed. So does my second divorce. That doesn’t mean I didn’t hurt or cry, however step by step my time with the Lord has kept me confident that no matter how out-of-control my situation appears, He’s always in control. Nothing takes Him by surprise. And in His economy, He uses my suffering for His glory and my good–because I’m called according to His purposes.

Right now our world is in a state of upheaval. No one really knows what the future holds. Even if the vaccine eradicates Covid, which isn’t likely, a great political divide and civil unrest continue. Our economy needs to recover. Suicide steals the lives of some of our brightest and best children. Mental health issues result in random shooting sprees. If you have not yet developed a consistent spiritual workout that refocuses life on Christ’s eternal purposes and power, there’s no better time to do so than now.

Steps for a Spiritual Workout

1. Start with asking God to help you develop a quiet time and place to meet with Him. I’d suggest first thing in the morning even if it means getting up earlier. The advantage of this is you won’t be too tired later in the day. And, that permits you to order your day with the Lord’s help. It also helps you focus on Him throughout the day rather than making Him an afterthought. Regardless of timing though, the important thing is to make that discipline into a consistent habit. 
2.  In the beginning, set a length of time that’s not overwhelming. I’d suggest 10-15 minutes with the awareness that over time you may want to extend that. Now, I allocate an hour first thing in the morning–about 40 minutes for prayer and 20 minutes for Bible reading. Sometimes it’s more. Occasionally it’s less. Often I connect with Christ throughout the day in a much more spontaneous way.
3. Ask Jesus to open your heart and mind to comprehend His Word. You might start by reading one Psalm and one Proverb a day. Or maybe one chapter of Luke or another gospel.
4. When you don’t know what to say, just sit there in the quiet with Jesus. He knows your heart. He’ll dry your tears and comfort your fears if you just meet with Him like you would your best friend.