Spiritual Exercise

Spiritual Exercise

 Let’s talk about some good old “ Spiritual Exercise”. Yes, I said exercise. Do not worry there is no contract, registration fee, no new sneakers or clothes to buy, and you do not even need to leave your home to do it. It is that easy. We all know that we should exercise our bodies, but what about exercising our spiritual side. How else will our souls grow and get strength? 

    What is Spiritual Exercise and How do we do it? It is like doing an exercise program. You will have to set up a certain amount of time and do different exercises to get the results you want. There needs to be some cardio and strength exercise. Maybe even some flexibility workouts as well. 

     When it is time to do the cardio exercise we need to look into our hearts and seek to open it so we can receive God’s and Jesus’s love. For the heart to start to open we have to offer up all the hurt and pain that is taken up the space where God’s and Jesus’s love wants to go into. They want to flood our hearts with Their unyielding love. Every time you get rid of the pain and hurt you are leaving that space for Them to work. Ask for a healing of your heart. Seek the love of those around you who will strengthen and offer up for your heart to be open. Find examples of God’s love and Jesus’s love in the bible and use that as a daily meditation for your heart. Listen to the stories of people who have turn to God and who’s hearts have been open to Him. A healing will come for you and your heart. I speak from experience. My heart is getting swept out and that pain and sorrow is diminishing and being filled with Their love. It is important to open your hearts because it will help keep everything else flowing. Just like the heart keeps that blood flowing, our spiritual hearts keep the grace and blessings flowing to give us that strength to the rest of our body and soul. 

       Our strength exercise will be more intense. This is where we start to put the effort in. This will also help with the cardio but will also help us when that time comes where we need to pull ourselves up and reach that next level or rung.  Think of what “equipment” you use. Is it the bible, rosary, prayers, etc.. that is the equipment you have to build the strength. If you never used them before, pick some and see how they build you up. See what gives you the most strength and hit that everyday. Trying reading the bible 10 minutes a day or every other day, say a decade of the rosary, or set up some talk time with God or Jesus. Do a workout plan that includes using different techniques. This is going to take up time to do. Set aside that time to do these thing to build yourself up. When you feel you are ready to amp up the “work out” then add some more time, add something new, go deeper into the teachings of the church. The great thing is that no matter what you do here will start to strengthen you. As you start to strengthen yourself you will be able to and want to do more. This will just continue as long as you keep up with it. Picking up the weight just once will not make you stronger and neither will reading the bible for just ten minutes and not doing anything more. This is a routine that we need to take the time to add in our lives. 

    When we are working out we first stretch and flex our bodies. You have to do the same before our spiritual work outs. Take the time to turn off the tv, shut off your phone, find that quiet space, try and clear your mind and take a deep breath and close your eyes, and relax. Be flexible as to what is about to happen. Do not be so rigid and limit yourself in how this will be. God will work in us but if we put Him in a box and tell Him how to work in us, will not help us. Think of it as if your are going down a river, and you just go with the flow. Just let the Spirit flow over you. This will allow God and Jesus to work in us. 

     You can even combine physical and spiritual workouts together. Go for a walk and as you do talk to Jesus and God as you go. Listen to some praise and worship music as you are on the treadmill. Incorporate reading the bible as you are on the bike. You are able to multi task and will get stronger both physically and spiritually. 

        We need to be spiritually strong to get us through daily life here on earth. When hard times come and we feel we are under attack being strong will help us. We will have more strength to pull from. Our hearts will be able to deal with pain and suffering better and will get us through those times of doubts. It does not take much for us to start and strengthen our hearts and souls. When we are stronger spiritually we will look fear, doubt, pain, and suffering in the face and deal with it. We will not cower or feel weak and not face what is going on. I tried that and it does not work. I am not one to back down so I will strengthen myself, heart and soul.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember to use Jesus as your spotter as you are doing your “ Spiritual Exercises”.