I’m pretty faithful in making sure I exercise five days a week.  I usually take a morning jog and pray as I prepare for my day.  But it can be difficult to go beyond the physical and make sure we are exercising the mind and spirit.  And for some of us, we exercise the mind or spirit but do little for our physical body.  It definitely takes discipline and is a balancing act.  However, the more we balance all three areas, the more stable we become and the more fulfilled our life is.

We need physical exercise to keep our bodies functioning so we can do whatever it is God placed us on this earth to accomplish.  But, we can’t stop there.  Our physical bodies were created to work alongside and with a strong mental and spiritual state.  We cannot have one without the other two.  We are a three-part being.  With that said, our minds must be sharpened and used every day.  We must exercise our minds by reading or writing a creative story.  We can listen to lectures that help us learn unique skills.  We can find something productive to do.  Most of us can easily get into a physical routine and maybe even a mental routine where we are challenged to grow, but how many of us find it difficult to exercise the spirit?  We must discipline ourselves to read the Word and apply it to our lives. Likewise, we must consistently go to church and fellowship with those of like faith and spend time praying every day.

If we can make time to be physically, mentally and spiritually fit, our lives will be in balance.  When we are missing one of these components, our lives will be off course.  Take an evaluation and see where you are.  Are you exercising diligently every day?  Is there room for improvement?  Are you motivated to do something?  Do you have an accountability partner?  Take the exercise challenge today and see a difference in your life as you commit to becoming mind, body and spirit- FIT!

~Coletta Jones Patterson