LOCKDOWN REV||BODILY EXERCISE AND SPIRITUAL EXERCISE.

One of my goals during the Lockdown was to live healthy and be more conscious of my diet.

I figured that if I wanted to be productive I also had to be mindful of what I did to my body.

I have never been the type that gain weight easily infact the only time I gained any significant weight was during pregnancy and it wasn’t even a lot.

I retained some of my pregnancy weight but it was okay because I was kind of underweight before. During my housemanship I was very active physically ( being an houseofficer involves plenty Ajala work) but I ate a lot of junk and did a lot of comfort eating too.

So I cut down on junk and decided to start regular exercise since I will be almost inactive for two weeks and eventually one month and still counting.

Dee used to like skipping and he was always going on about how good it was so I just picked up his old skipping rope.

“Haaa my people, I almost died that day and to think I did just 100 skips oh”

I am very resilient so I did not stop, I kept at it and started building strength and endurance gradually. It was really hard , my ankles were sore for days and I literally had to drag myself out of bed everyday because I was sore all over. However I kept at it and today I can do 1000 skips.

I moved from 100 skips to 1000 skips because I didn’t quit or give up and while I was thinking about my achievement this post was birthed.

What happened when I first started exercising was that I started using some dormant muscle and because they were not used to that kind of Stress they became sore. However in the midst of the pain and soreness I started building strength and endurance.

Eventually all the soreness disappeared and my ankle does not hurt so much any longer but I am definitely stronger.

This is very similar to our walk with the Holyspirit, when you start it is not always easy.

There are days you won’t feel like praying or studying the word.

What about Fasting?

This one is even a “no go area” for some people.

Whyyyyyy?????

It’s because true christianity and Intimacy is not bread and beans easy.

There is this Scripture that drives home the point;

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But solid food is for the mature, whose spiritual senses perceive heavenly matters. And they have been adequately trained by what they’ve experienced to emerge with understanding of the difference between what is truly excellent and what is evil and harmful.” Hebrews‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Even though spiritual discipline is not easy, we have to keep at it because it is by constant practice that we become stronger spiritually.

That is how we build our spiritual muscles

Let me give an example,

When I first became a Christian, nothing stunned me like hearing people say “God told me”

This whole concept was just beyond me.

Once I hear such from someone, I automatically respect them.

I soon realized that He could talk to me too and the more I stayed in his presence and train myself to be quiet, the louder He became.

It just doesn’t jump on people , they work for it.

There is no way to grow spiritually other than to study the word and through Prayers

Let’s do away with all these bread and butter Christianity and “God understands” mentality.

I understand we start as Babes but we need to grow too. When we don’t grow in Faith then something is absolutely wrong.

You can come the way you are but you don’t have to remain the way you are.

From the time I got pregnant till when I stopped breastfeeding I did not fast.

Then when I stopped, I didn’t have any excuse again so I had to just do it. I won’t lie it’s been really tough.

However I have to just keep showing up, of course the first day I fasted was like a death sentence but it got better with time because I continued.

You don’t give a baby meat because babies can’t eat meat, however with time and as they grow their diet starts to change.

It will be abnormal to see a 10 year old that takes only infant milk because they are expected to have outgrown it.

We need to move to more weightier Kingdom issues but we can’t if we don’t build spiritual endurance and strength.

He is ready to commit missions and assignments into our hands but we have to be fit enough and strong enough for it.

“But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!” Jude‬ ‭1:20-21‬ ‭MSG‬

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”2 Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

All theses Scriptures have active words ;

“Study”

“Build up ”

“Exercise”

Just to buttress the point that there is no short cut to spiritual maturity.

Finally, for every child of God our heart cry should be to know Him more.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we draw close to Him, He will reveal Himself to us.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NIV

He wants intimacy with us but we need to take the first step.

Love and Revelational Light,

YJ.