But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-8
“Stop!” Paul says. “Exercise yourself towards godliness.” We are exercising ourselves towards something. Many in the body of Christ are pursuing the latest old wives’ tale. They’re looking into the DaVinci code or new age psychology. Many of the youth who are frustrated with the failure of those in authority over them have turned to gothic anarchism. So what are you exercising towards? Emotionalism, intellectualism or some other personal preference that gratifies your felt-needs fairly quickly.
All of these things we exercise towards that are not godly will only bring us trying times. The goal they put forth of soothing us will only last temporarily because we what soothes us changes because we change. Even a healthy bodily exercise has a limited benefit. It’s benefit is fully realized in this world. But godliness applies every; it applies in this world and in the world to come.
The idea is to move towards your goal without being overly influenced by peripheral issues while not losing track of them. God promises in this passage that we can gain the good in this life and in the one to come by moving towards godliness. He guarantees that whatever we “suffer” or “labor” through will pay off.
Exercising In Faith,
Pastor Jason
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