These days we often hear it said that one of the things adults most need is exercise. In Korea as well, Professor Hwang Soo-gwan’s “Shinbaram Health Method” has brought joy and interest to many people. In a world where everything has become so convenient, modern people hardly use their bodies anymore, and the importance of exercise has become a serious matter. Compared to the past, we eat far more food, yet the amount of physical activity we do continues to decrease—this is one of the major problems of modern life.

But that is not all. Because of the flood of information pouring in through today’s media, many people are mentally exhausted, and we can see signs of growing laziness when it comes to caring for the health of the soul. So today, I would like us to reflect on the exercises—both physical and spiritual—that our lives require. Before we begin, let us listen to a hymn.

Across cultures and throughout history, maintaining good health has been one of humanity’s greatest concerns. Yet despite this, it is never easy to control our diet and exercise regularly for the sake of physical strength. In America especially, with its abundance of rich foods, men and women alike suffer from obesity and various adult diseases unless they exercise consistently.

I too always tell myself that I must exercise for my health, yet I do not do it well. Perhaps because I grew up with a shy personality and never learned to enjoy vigorous physical activity, I simply do not like exercising. Looking back, I think physical education was one of my least favorite classes in school.

These days, as I work, I often feel tired and mentally dull, and I realize that much of this fatigue comes from lack of exercise. So I try to go work out at least once or twice a week, though even that is not easy to keep up. But when I force myself to make time and exercise, my body truly feels lighter, and whatever I do afterward, I feel more motivated. During seasons like this, when mowing the lawn or trimming the trees around the house becomes a frequent task, I notice that when I have been exercising regularly, such work feels effortless. But if I have not exercised, mowing the lawn or trimming branches leaves my arms and legs aching for days.

Several years ago, we finally made up our minds and joined an exercise club called Jack Line. The place had dozens of different machines, each designed for a different part of the body. People of all ages worked up a sweat on the machines they needed most.

Feeling that I lacked walking time, I decided to start with leg exercises. I set a time and stepped onto a stair-climbing machine. But how long those five minutes felt! I was out of breath, and it took all my strength just to complete those five minutes. Many times I was tempted to stop, thinking I simply could not go on. Yet beside me, a young Black woman ran lightly for more than forty-five minutes, sweat dripping onto the machine, looking completely unbothered.

That was not all. When the aerobics class began, dozens of men and women—many with large bodies—moved their arms and legs up and down to fast music and the instructor’s commands, bouncing energetically. Just watching them made me feel as if I, too, might become slim. Some looked well over 200 pounds, yet they moved so lightly that I thought I might be able to do it too. But when I tried to follow along, my body simply would not obey. It felt as if I were forcing a rusted machine to move—every motion was difficult, my breath short, and I felt I might collapse at any moment. Yet these people did this strenuous routine every single day.

What I discovered through exercise is that the human body has a remarkable ability to adapt when trained. The exercises that once left me breathless and exhausted became manageable with continued practice. At a certain point, the body not only adapts but begins to break down unnecessary substances, releasing toxins through sweat. It even melts away the invisible fats clogging our arteries. Regular exercise is the best way to ensure a healthy old age, and it is essential for everyone, young and old.

Whenever I exercise, I am reminded of our spiritual health. Every day, countless forces pour into our souls—things that tire us, weaken us, and sometimes enslave us with “princess syndrome” or “prince syndrome,” making us believe we are uniquely special. These things sicken us many times a day. Sometimes our souls become so weak that even when we want to give, we cannot; even when we want to share, we find nothing within us to offer. After serving others, instead of joy and fulfillment, we may feel irritated or as if we have lost something. When our souls are excessively weak or excessively swollen, we become unable to do what is natural and become powerless.

But thankfully, God has provided many kinds of spiritual exercise equipment for our spiritual weakness. Attending Sunday worship is a feast of joy for all believers. Yet the daily disciplines of reading God’s Word, meditating on it, and praying not only strengthen our souls but also bring balance to our lives. As Proverbs says, “The human spirit can endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? (18:14).” When the soul is sick, even the body cannot overcome illness.

Some say they find little interest in God’s Word because they do not understand it. But God’s Word contains deep and mysterious truths that are not grasped quickly. Like physical exercise, when we train ourselves little by little, steadily and faithfully, we begin to experience unexpected joy and peace of heart. Whatever we do gains meaning, and we discover the true joy of life.

— Yoon Wan-Hee, August 23, 1997