Fitness is essential in every part of your life. Betsy and I exercise every day to build our physical strength. Please don’t get me wrong …we’re not trying to win any bodybuilder competitions! But we both know that by keeping ourselves in shape, we can continue to do the things we need to for our family and our business. Biking, walking, practicing yoga, and strength training are just a few ways to build stronger muscles and better endurance to maintain and expand our physical ability.
Occasionally my schedule forces me to miss or lighten my workout regimen for a few days or a couple of weeks. I feel the difference when I return to a more strenuous circuit. It’s incredible how muscles that aren’t kept in condition will weaken over time. That’s why it’s crucial as we age to keep on moving and doing things to keep our muscles conditioned to do the things we enjoy as we grow older.
Your faith is kind of like your muscles; without exercise, our muscles grow weaker over time. The same goes for our faith. But how do you exercise your faith? While it’s not as simple as picking up hand weights or walking in your neighborhood, there are several great ways to use your faith. We build up our faith through prayer, Bible study, devotional readings, corporate and individual worship, and fellowship with other believers. We also strengthen our faith by listening to worship music, engaging in mission work through personal involvement and financial support, and evangelism. Our faith grows when we look for ways to practice our spiritual gifts to advance God’s Kingdom. If you don’t know your spiritual gifts, click here for one example of a free spiritual gifts test.
As you engage in these activities, you might feel like your faith is being tested. If this happens, seek God’s guidance through prayer, Scripture study, and sharing your situation with other believers. As you continue to seek His face, God will reveal Himself to you in surprising ways that will profoundly strengthen your faith.
Strong faith is part of what enables you to be a great family caregiver. It strengthens you to do things you never thought possible! It is an essential part of your caregiver’s survival kit, so don’t neglect this vital component of who you are.
How do you exercise your faith? Betsy and I hope you’ll join us this week here at Heart of the Caregiver and share your heart about how you work at building up your faith.
Heart of the Caregiver 