Have you ever thought of taking up a new sport, learning to play a musical instrument or just stepping out of your comfort zone to do something new and different? Perhaps the desire was always there but there was always something that was stopping you from actually doing it? Well, let me tell you a short, true story.

Sometime ago I was faced with a very challenging situation. The pressure at my workplace was enormous and eventually affected my personal life. I felt that I needed something that would challenge me in a physical way to the point that I would simply be too tired to think about my work and would be able to relax.

I decided to enroll in a local sports club. I was 49 at the time, and some would consider me too old to be just starting a fitness regime. Sure enough, the trainings were grueling and I was so out of shape that I could barely do three pushups to begin with. I remember literally inching my way home after the first training.

I was worried I’d feel foolish training with much younger and more athletic people, but in fact, the people I got to know while working out were friendly, chilled, and extremely supportive. Their motto was “Never give up,” and it seemed to me that God had sent me there to strengthen both my body and my spirit.

I started with two training sessions a week, and after three months, I started going three times a week. Six months later, I was going five times a week. My health improved by leaps and bounds.

As I’d hoped, the exercise was so intense that I couldn’t think about my problems while I was training. Not only did I feel stronger physically, but my spiritual well-being was improving, and I was in better shape to face my problems.

Of course, reading God’s Word is the best way to strengthen our spirit but He sometimes uses other things to help us too, in this case physical exercise. God is always on our side, because He loves us. He has our best interests at heart and wants to help us accomplish our goals. But He can’t do our part for us, whether that’s going to the gym, picking up that guitar you haven’t touched in years, starting that project you’ve been putting off, or whatever the situation is.

The point is, if I was able to do it, you can too. Just get up and start.