Exercise Your Faith

Photo of exercise equipment by Humphrey M on Unsplash

While I used to be a gym buff with growing muscles, I recently moved. Because I didn’t have a friend to spot me, looking for a gym wasn’t a priority. Despite not working out, I’ve lost weight. Sadly, I lost muscle instead of fat.

When we don’t exercise our physical muscles, they atrophy. The same thing happens when we don’t use our spiritual muscles—they also atrophy.

If life is easy and everything goes as we desire, we don’t have to exercise faith. We can enjoy our days as they come. We see good things and don’t worry.

Second Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (NKJV). If we only trust God when things look nice, that’s not exercising any faith.

On the other hand, when the future seems uncertain and we don’t understand what God is doing, then we have to lean into faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) defines faith this way: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is what we carry to the bank even when holding nothing in our hands yet.

In areas where God has come through before, like finding a job, it’s easier to trust because He has an established track record of provision. At other times, when I feel like my prayers hit the ceiling because I’ve seen so little action, there I must exercise faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV).

Because we want to please God, we must exercise faith. We must believe that He exists, and will reward those who seek hard after Him. Not earnestly seek the laundry list of things we want the Lord to do for us, but seek God personally for a deeper relationship.

Whatever we think we desire, our true purpose in any waiting season is to know God better.
When we see no hope to reach our dreams, yet still trust God, that binds our hearts to Him. We lean on His strength instead of our own.

The next time you don’t see what you want, envision doing physical exercise as you talk to the Lord. Lift those weights up to the Lord and leave them with Him to carry. Imagine His hand under yours, holding the load while your muscles grow.

When we rely on God, He does the heavy lifting while we rest in His arms. And our faith grows instead of running out. May we exercise faith by surrendering our desires to the Lord and resting in His timing and ways for provision.

• What helps you grow your faith?
• Which verses encourage you the most when you need to exercise faith?