Spiritual Exercise
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
A humorous calorie guide once suggested that you can burn hundreds of calories without ever stepping into a gym. “Running around in circles” burns 350. “Making mountains out of molehills” burns 500. “Climbing the walls” burns 150. “Swallowing your pride” only 50—but it may cost you more than you think. We smile because we recognize ourselves in the list. Many of us are exhausted at the end of the day—not from physical labor—but from worry, drama, pride, stubbornness, and unnecessary conflict.
It is possible to spend enormous energy on things that accomplish very little. We burn calories “beating around the bush” instead of speaking truth in love. We tire ourselves “dragging our heels” when God is calling us to obedience. We exhaust our hearts “adding fuel to the fire” when the Lord would have us be peacemakers. The problem is not activity—it is misdirected activity. We are busy, but not always fruitful.
Paul reminds us that while physical exercise has value, spiritual exercise has eternal value. Imagine if we put as much effort into prayer as we do into “pushing our luck.” What if we invested the energy we spend “running around in circles” into walking steadily with God? What if instead of “tooting our own horn,” we humbled ourselves before the Lord? True strength is not found in frantic motion but in faithful devotion.
The world will keep offering endless ways to expend your energy. But godliness builds endurance that lasts beyond this life. The greatest workout is learning patience, humility, forgiveness, and faith. Those disciplines may not show up on a calorie chart—but they transform the soul.
Take inventory of where your emotional and spiritual energy is going. Ask the Lord to redirect your effort toward godliness. Replace drama with discipline, pride with prayer, and busyness with obedience.
"The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; And all the upright in heart shall glory." — Psalm 64:10
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This Week's Radio Program
Week Eighteen • May 3, 2026
Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 3)
In this final part of the message, “Trusting God with Tomorrow,” we are brought face to face with a powerful truth from Scripture—while we often plan our days and assume the future, the Bible teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain, and completely in God’s hands. As James reminds us, our life is “even a vapour” that appears for a little time and then vanishes away . The issue is not planning, but planning without God—living as though we are in control of what only God knows.
This message walks through the heart of biblical trust: having a proper perspective of tomorrow, a humble posture before God today, and a surrendered plan that says, “If the Lord will.” Whether facing uncertainty, fear, or the illusion of control, we are called to draw near to God, rest in His care, and trust that His will is good, even when tomorrow is unknown. Because Christ has risen, our future is secure—not in our plans, but in His perfect hands.
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