15 Bible Verses About Fitness and Caring for Your Body
Caring for our bodies is important, but it’s not easy to find balance in this area. It’s easy to vacillate between neglecting our bodies and putting excessive energy into caring for them. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about fitness and health as we seek this balance.
I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you honor God with your body.
15 Bible Verses About Fitness and Health
“I’ve been struggling with taking the time to exercise and keeping up with the rest of my life,” a friend recently admitted. “I know I honor God when I care for my body, but there’s a fine line between self-care and the idolatry of self.”
I thought about her words for days after she spoke them. At times, I’ve shifted between caring for my body, neglecting my body, and idolizing my body. Finding the balance between these mentalities isn’t easy.
Let’s turn to God’s Word to see what God has to say about caring for our bodies.
Here are 15 Bible verses about fitness and health.
Bible Verses About Fitness and Health
1. Romans 12:1 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
As followers of Christ, we are to present our bodies to God in obedience. This means we care for our bodies, but we don’t obsess over our image or appearance.
2. 1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
How would your life be different if all your actions were for the glory of God?
3. 1 Cor. 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Our bodies are not our own. They were purchased for a price.
The Holy Spirit lives in us.
Just as the Spirit lived in a temple before Jesus came, he now dwells in all followers of Christ. We are to honor God’s temple by caring for our bodies. This includes moving our bodies, resting well, and eating well. Yet all of these actions can become idols in excess.
We find the balance by seeking God and asking him to direct us. He will gently convict us when we lose this healthy balance.
4. 1 Timothy 4:8
For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Paul wrote that training our bodies is of some value. Strong bodies equip us to fulfill God’s will.
In the same breath, he wrote that godliness is important, too. We should spend as much time training our inner selves for godliness as we spend training our bodies to be strong. How’s your balance?
5. Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
May we never forget that we are called by Jesus to love him and love others.
Caring for our bodies enables us to better follow this calling. Spending excessive time on these pursuits can pull us away from our calling. Keeping physical fitness in a healthy balance enables us to better fulfill God’s calling.
6. Proverbs 31:17
She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
This verse describes the infamous “Proverbs 31 Woman.” She is strong because she works hard for the glory of God. This is a good example for us to follow.
7. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Exercising develops an important trait: self-discipline. This discipline can be transferred to other realms of our lives, including our relationship with God.
8. Isaiah 40:31
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
I frequently quoted this verse as I ran on the track as a high school athlete. But this verse was not intended to apply to weary athletes. Isaiah wrote to all who feel weak in the Lord. When we rest in the Lord, he gives us strength.
9. 1 Samuel 16:7
Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
God is concerned about our bodies, but he is more concerned about our hearts.
Do you spend as much time caring for your heart as you spend caring for your body?
10. Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . .
The greatest race we will run is the race of faith. God calls us to endure.
Caring for our bodies helps us endure as we follow him.
11. Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
God wants us to learn to find our strength in him. Again, this refers to more to our walk of faith than running marathons.
Nevertheless, when God calls us to pursue goals, he also teaches us on the journey. If he has called you to the journey of training with fitness goals, he wants to use the experience to teach you spiritual lessons.
Ask him to reveal these lessons to you. They are even more important than your physical journey.
12. Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
We are all called to train our minds in godly thinking. We do so by focusing on things that fit the traits listed above.
If caring for your body leads you into these ways of thinking, then continue on the course you are on. If it pulls you away from these thoughts, talk to God about where your rhythms might need to change.
13. Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God’s kingdom is present everywhere Jesus reigns. Does Jesus reign over your fitness routine? If so, stay the course. If not, ask God how to seek his kingdom.
14. Jeremiah 9:24
But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.
We need to be careful not to boast about our fitness achievements. Rather, we are to boast only in the Lord.
15. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
We honor God when we care for the temple of our bodies. Ask God to direct you, and he will do so.
Apply these Bible Verses About Fitness to Your Life
The Apostle Paul reminds us of the following truth: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).
Jesus offers a paradox when he tells us that the most abundant life is the life that’s given away.
What’s this look like?
We give our time to invest in others.
We give our energy to help those in need.
Caring for our bodies is important, but when exercising becomes more important than connecting with others, we’ve fallen out of balance.
We are to care for our bodies so that we can effectively fulfill God’s purpose for us in the world. Having strong, healthy bodies helps us fulfill his purpose.
What is your goal in exercising? Do you exercise for the joy of moving your body and strengthening it? This is a God-honoring goal.
Do you spend your time comparing your body to others or chasing an ideal image? If this is the case, talk to God about your motives. He wants you to be strong and healthy for his glory, not your glory.
When we care for our bodies out of a sincere desire to follow the two greatest commands, loving God and loving others, we honor God with our bodies.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
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This post was first published on August 23, 2022.
