fed up with exercising and old age

I’m tired of exercising. Anybody with me?

Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, leg-lifts and all the other stuff, I hate it all. And the weights and the exercise ball? Go bother someone else.

Can somebody please tell me why I spend 1 ½ to two hours every day of my life stretching and exercising? I love the walks, but the rest? Ugh. Is it really getting me anywhere? It’s days like these when I really wonder whether it’s worth it.

Well, I am alive and reasonably healthy. I guess that’s a good thing. But when I look in the mirror all I see is a fat middle-aged man on his way to elderly and really fat.

I read my doctor’s chart a while back and it described me as “well developed” and “well nourished.” I liked the former, but not the latter. Fact is, I felt like hurting the man. (I didn’t, of course. You know, the whole God thing.)

Meanwhile, the age clock keeps ticking. Tick, tick, tick.

Once again, my bad attitude drove me back to Scripture in search of answers. For what it’s worth, here’s what I came up with. A little bit all over the map, but still pertinent. And very convicting.

Pursuing godliness is more important than pursuing physical fitness.

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”1

While this doesn’t mean I shouldn’t exercise—the fact is I should—pursuing godliness is of more value. Practically-speaking, I take this to mean I should be spending at least equal time each day pursuing spiritual maturity. And probably more.

Taking care of my physical health is a good thing, but my spiritual health is more important.

Gotta work on this one.

I must drive God crazy with my complaining.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”2

So let me get this straight: When I complain on a given day about having to exercise or feeling old it’s like 1,000 years of griping from God’s perspective? Whoa. He must be really fed up with my belly-aching.

Guess I better work on this one, too.

Life as we know it—including the drudgery of exercising and losing one’s youth—won’t last forever.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."3

I like this one the best. Maybe you do, too. I can’t wait “for the old order of things” to pass “away.” You know, a place where there’s no more push-ups and sit-ups, and no more looking in the mirror and saying, “Who’s that?”

But is there something here for me to work on? Uh, yeah. As in what are you complaining about, Chris? Life as you know it isn’t going to last forever. In fact, God has graciously planned for you  to enjoy paradise with Him forever. Emphasis on forever.

Guess I better work on this one, too. As in showing a little more gratitude to my heavenly Father.

So, there it is: I need to make life changes in three areas.

1.      Spend more time on spiritual health than physical health.

2.      Stop complaining about exercising and the old man in the mirror.

3.      Be more grateful.

Yuch. Why did I have to discover this? And why in the world did I share it with you?

The answer, of course, is maybe you can learn something from my stupidity and the mess I call my life. If you’re fed up with exercising and cringing at the person in the mirror, then maybe something that was said here will help.

If not, please do me a favor and forget all the embarrassing things I just shared about myself. Please.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a few things to work on. A little exercising, some serious Bible study, no more complaining and a lot more gratitude.

1  1 Tim 4:8

2  2 Peter 3:8

3  Revelation 21:4