Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? Maybe you promised to clean your room more or be nicer to your brother or sister. Lots of people make resolutions about exercising more or eating healthier. But did you know there’s another kind of exercise that’s even MORE important?

The Bible talks about exercising yourself toward godliness! That might sound weird—how do you exercise to be more like God? Well, think about it like this: When you want to get strong physically, you lift weights, run, or play sports. When you want to get strong spiritually, you read your Bible, pray, and practice obeying God!

Just like you can’t get muscles overnight by doing one pushup, you can’t become spiritually strong by praying once. You have to keep doing it! The apostle Paul told his young friend Timothy to “exercise yourself toward godliness.” That means making it a regular habit—like brushing your teeth or doing homework.

The cool thing is when you exercise your body, it only helps you while you’re alive on earth. But when you exercise yourself spiritually, it helps you forever! Being close to God and knowing His Word will help you now AND in heaven!

Take Action: Find a special spot where you can have your “quiet time” with God every day. Maybe it’s a comfy chair in your room or a spot by the window. Pick a place where you can keep your Bible and maybe a notebook. Try reading a little bit of your Bible every day—even just five minutes! It’s like going to the gym for your soul!