The world of fitness is overrun with opinions, ideas and new solutions. Every issue of Health Magazine provides a better way to get into beach body shape, but the true purpose of exercise seems to get lost between the pages.

Oftentimes our fitness goals are noble — becoming stronger or reducing stress — but as fallen children of God our motivations can become less than virtuous, slipping into vanity. Colossians 3:23 demands that we do all things as for the Lord, but it is not as easy to find a godly reason for exercise when compared to biblical studies or community service.

Fitness is a celebration of the body that God has given us, it is a part of stewardship. God made the world and he saw that it was good, yet the fall of man brought death into this world, affecting not only our souls but our bodies as well. As created children of God we should seek to be stewards of what God has given us.

Just as we use spiritual disciplines to take care of our soul, fitness should be used to take care of our body. God did not create us as fragmented people. Our soul, mind and body are all connected. There is a reason that exercise helps your mind relax, and bowing your head helps you pray.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to be stewards of ourselves, all of ourselves. Though our bodies may not be permanent and though godliness has value for all things, physical exercise can and should be used as a means of stewarding ourselves as a whole person. Jesus grew in wisdom as well as stature, we should seek the same for ourselves. Through a series of articles, we will explore what physical stewardship looks like in its many aspects including diet, weightlifting, and cardio.