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I’ve been asking the Lord to increase my awareness of spiritual lessons I can learn in the simple events of daily life. And true to His nature, a lesson came to me through a recent hiatus at the gym.

Do you have an exercise routine? Like many people, I enjoy a good workout at the gym whether it is the elliptical or a good circuit class. My gym recently started offering a kickboxing class so I decided to check it out. What a workout! It teaches balance, strength and a focus on your core muscles. It took a few sessions and a lot of sore muscles but I finally started to get the hang of it. And that felt good.

Then my schedule had several conflicts and I wasn’t able to attend class for a couple of weeks. And what a difference it made. That step back into the class was tough.

I was amazed at how quickly I forgot the basic moves—the balance in kicks and form of a jab or hook. It had only been 14 days, a mere two weeks, and I was a beginner all over again. Not to mention the soreness that followed the class.

So, what spiritual lesson did the Lord teach me through that experience? And is there a truth I can share with you—as an encouragement, reminder, or even challenge?

If my body can lose its agility in such a short time-frame, how long does it take before my spiritual agility suffers? The answer is certainly much quicker than 14 days.

And therein lies the lesson . . . and reminder for me.

The Lord actively pursues us and desires time with us continually. We know He seeks His children and is filled with joy when we spend time with Him. But He will never force himself on us; yet waits patiently for us to choose to spend time with Him.

If I miss even one day of fellowship with the Lord, my spirit is missing out. And it’s strange because the blessings are there for the taking. He offers them freely but so often we miss out on them because we get so easily caught up with our agenda and schedule.

So, I think back to my kickboxing lesson. How many times have I let my “schedule” get in the way of spending time with my most important relationship? I needed that reminder. My spiritual fitness depends on it. How about you?