The Physical and Spiritual Fitness Connection, Part 2

Continuing on a previous post regarding the connection I feel between physical fitness and spiritual fitness, this post comes courtesy of yesterday's lunch run.  Let me set the scene for you:

It was a gorgeous day outside: mid to low 80's, low humidity, cobalt blue skies.  It was a calm day inside, ie: not many fires to put out around the lab.  I had brought my running clothes out of habit more than actually thinking I was going to run at lunch, but somewhere around 10:00 am, I started getting a tinge of a headache and it just kept growing.  Around 11:30 am, I start soliciting takers for going out to eat, but nobody took me up on it.  I knew I should go running...that I needed to go running*...but I had a headache.

I made a half hearted motion out the door as though I'd go to lunch by myself, but I didn't make it.  I forced myself to grab my bag and head out.  I figured the fresh air would do me good.  That there was a reason why no one would go to lunch with me and that reason is that I was supposed to go running that day.  That I would somehow benefit from it.

And that leads me to the latest connection between physical and spiritual fitness:

You should do it even if you don't want to.

With exercise there are many excuses that I can use to not run:  "It's too hot/cold/humid/rainy/sunny outside to run."  "My foot/knee/hips/toe/head hurts."  "I don't have the time to run."  "Free Lunch!!"  I have many excuses when it comes to neglecting prayer as well:  "I don't have time to pray."  "I'm not 'feeling' it today."  "I don't know what to pray for."  "I can't concentrate enough to pray."

"The spirit it willing but the flesh is weak."
--Matthew 26:41

My spirit wants to pray.  My spirit wants me to exercise because my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and here lately, the temple has got some weeds that need pulling, some places that need some touching up and some rotten wood that needs replaced.

So, I forced myself to go running.  Again, I thought that the fresh air would do me good.  I would start out slow and just see how it goes.  I forgot my mp3 player and so I knew I'd have a lot of time to just be with my thoughts and to pray.  By the time I got out there, my tinge of a headache had turned into a full blown headache, and after the first quarter mile it was throbbing.  To take my mind off of it, I began to sing to myself the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and little by little, step by step, my headache started to go away.  By the end of the run, it was completely gone!  I was amazed!  As I took note of what had happened, I realized that I had to post on here about the importance of exercising and praying even though sometimes I don't want to.  You never know the benefit/blessings you will receive until you do it!  In my case on Friday, my headache went away.  In the case of prayer, I've heard it said (C.S. Lewis?) that the prayers that are the most efficacious are those that we pray even when we don't want to pray.  I believe that we will never truly know how much our prayers meant to others until the Particular Judgement.  At that time, we'll see just what impact we had on other people's lives.

So what is it that causes the "don't wants"?  For me I think it basically boils down to pride, the original and most deadly of the seven deadlies.  The sin that goes before all other sins.  I find it hard to run if I "don't have anything to run for," meaning that I'm not training for a race.  I need to remind myself that I am still "running for a reason," and that reason is my health and, ulitmately, my family.

Spiritually, I realize now and admit that pride has kept me from growing in the way the LORD has wanted.  I have always "taken pride" in the fact that I'm a "good Catholic."  Go to Mass, read the bible, pray, etc., etc., etc.  However, I should have realized that if I was "taking pride" in these things, I was missing the point!  To put it one way, I had an inflated "Faith Ego."  This inflated faith ego prevented me from going to the ACTS Retreat for three years.  I thought I didn't need it.  It would do me no good.  I wouldn't get anything out of it.  Well, God allowed me to eat some Humble Pie for a while and finally, my Spirit cried out loud enough to trump my Flesh and I signed up for the retreat.  There were many obstacles put in my way, none bigger than when my car needed $600.00 of repairs two weeks before the retreat.  I couldn't afford to go.  Even though they say money will not prevent anyone from attending, my pride was the first to cry out that I, "wasn't going to accept charity."  Instead of calling it off right away I slept on it, and I noticed that my first reaction to anything is that of the flesh, and this case was no exception.

"The spirit it willing but the flesh is weak."
--Matthew 26:41

So I decided to ignore my flesh and make the call to the Retreat directors to see if we could work something out.  I'm so glad I did, because from the moment I got there until the moment I left, I could hear God talking to me, reaffirming that I was not only meant, but called to be there.  After three years of telling God "no," I finally said, "yes" and He has blessed me ever since.

So, to quote a famous ad, when it comes to exercise or praying:

JUST DO IT!

And in hindsight, it is comical that I write this.  Just last night I was telling Kim that I was trying to gain motivation from my good friend and Iron Man Triathlete David McCullough.  I asked him what kept him motivated during those tough days when he didn't want to get out there.  His answer was to "Just Do It!"  I told Kim, "that doesn't help me at all!"  Yet here I am agreeing!

*When we were in Florida I bought one of those Life is Good T-shirts that says, "Gotta Run." Here lately when I wear that I feel a little bit guilty, and joke that it should say, "Need to Run." Hence the pictures on this post.