Working Out on Sabbath, is it okay or not?

[Kika]

Hi everyone, my first post here, ran in to a questions I can't answer for my self. Opinions needed

Just to show you where I came form: I grew up in a very conservative Russian adventist family, just 10 years ago we weren't allowed to shower on Sabbath because that was considered "work" and we were suppose to be prepare for Sabbath by showering ahead of time.

So now I've started working out allot and specifically running, Sabbath is the day I skip work out and it makes me feel like [censored] all day long, I get in to a mind set that since I didn't run this morning I shouldn't keep with a good diet either so I over it and just feel bad about my self all day long. I want to go for a run before church just 1-2 miles nothing huge, but my friends and family think that it's wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about it, what do you guys think?

[Gail]

Welcome, Kika!

Good question! How is the Holy Spirit impressing on you concerning this?

[cricket]

I don't know the answer for you, but some things I'd ask myself are:

When I am running, what sort of things am I thinking about?

What is the real reason I spend time running?

What does keeping the Sabbath really mean?

Why is running so important to me that I'd sabotage other areas of my life just to keep on running?

If I were to neglect running on a different day of the week, would I feel just as bad about myself?

Am I giving my body the proper amount of rest for healing between runs?

[Woody]

In the SDA church - we don't have blanket rules and regulations like the Jews of old.

Each person must decide for themselves.

The principle I would use is: during this activity - is the purpose of the Sabbath promoted?

And only you for yourself can answer that.

None of us can answer it for you.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Hi everyone, my first post here, ran in to a questions I can't answer for my self. Opinions needed

Just to show you where I came form: I grew up in a very conservative Russian adventist family, just 10 years ago we weren't allowed to shower on Sabbath because that was considered "work" and we were suppose to be prepare for Sabbath by showering ahead of time.

So now I've started working out allot and specifically running, Sabbath is the day I skip work out and it makes me feel like [censored] all day long, I get in to a mind set that since I didn't run this morning I shouldn't keep with a good diet either so I over it and just feel bad about my self all day long. I want to go for a run before church just 1-2 miles nothing huge, but my friends and family think that it's wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about it, what do you guys think?

Hi Kika, interesting dilemma. I would ask, "do you still live with your family, i.e., parents) or are you 'on your own'?" If you're still dependent on family, then, if it was me, I'd probably respect their views for now. If not, then God has given you the free will to do as you wish. But, I like cricket's question about whether you would still feel badly about yourself if the skipped work-out day was not the Sabbath.

(I'm also wondering if you're "addicted" to the endorphin-high you might be getting as a result of the work-outs. If you aren't getting your "fix," you would naturally start feeling really yucky...)

[Textus Receptus]

Simply put, it is lawful to be healthy on the Sabbath.

[joeb]

Hi everyone, my first post here, ran in to a questions I can't answer for my self. Opinions needed

Just to show you where I came form: I grew up in a very conservative Russian adventist family, just 10 years ago we weren't allowed to shower on Sabbath because that was considered "work" and we were suppose to be prepare for Sabbath by showering ahead of time.

So now I've started working out allot and specifically running, Sabbath is the day I skip work out and it makes me feel like [censored] all day long, I get in to a mind set that since I didn't run this morning I shouldn't keep with a good diet either so I over it and just feel bad about my self all day long. I want to go for a run before church just 1-2 miles nothing huge, but my friends and family think that it's wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about it, what do you guys think?

Kika,

From what you've said here I have to ask what your motivation is for working out and running. As an addict I'm pretty good at recognizing behavior that comes from addiction and/or compulsions, and I have to say this sounds like the compulsive behavior that comes from addiction because of the guilt that comes from taking even one day a week off from your training regimen.

People who make a living at training others for athletic endeavors almost always recommend taking a day or so a week off from their training regimen. Even if you're training to run marathons competitively a six day a week schedule for running is not seen as harmful. In fact, many people find it impossible to run seven days a week.

Also, the risk of injury becomes pretty high when you run seven days a week. So, this feeling of guilt that you get from from not running seems to me to come from some kind of addictive behavioral basis.

This isn't meant to be judging you but to hopefully help you to understand yourself better. If you have the option of seeing a counselor about this I'd highly recommend it.

I'd also say that any time you feel as bad about yourself as you report feeling that this feeling isn't coming from your heavenly Father. It's coming from the devil. He's the one that ladles out guilt. I know. My voice is the voice of experience in this regard as I've had to deal with this a lot in my life. The devil loves to use our addictions against us. He loves to make us feel that we're unworthy of anything, especially that which is good for us, including God's love for us.

I'll be praying for you. Let us know how you're getting along in this struggle.

[Sojourner]

Personally I dont have a problem with it, many Adventists I know go on nature walks on Sabbath afternoons which is also excersize. Running by yourself is differnet to going to attend a gym for instance.

Paul says that Physical Training is of some value, it does make you feel better and improves your health, many run a small distance each morning and there is nothing to stop you praying for others at the same time.

[phkrause]

At the same time, you also need to consider what was the purpose of the Sabbath? Now I'm not saying you can't work out, or go boating, or take a drive, etc. God gave us 6 days to work and make a living and than one day off to get some rest from the hectic week of work, to get re-energized for the next week. I would extend that to working out! We work out 6 days a week, so now we can take a day off to get rejuvinated for the next week. I think this can be extended to anything we do. Of course there are always those jobs that do require someone to work on Sabbath, RNs, Doctors, Police, Firemen, etc., obviously those jobs wont be necessary in the earth made new.

[Kika]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for your responses, I didn't expect to get so many. I'll consider everything you guys said and will stick around the forums to see what kind of discussions you all are having.

[Woody]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for your responses, I didn't expect to get so many. I'll consider everything you guys said and will stick around the forums to see what kind of discussions you all are having.

[debbym]

I think going for a two mile run Sabbath morning would be invigorating and enhance my mental clarity and oxygen intake all day long.

i would do it and praise God for the blessings of being able to run and breathe, and mediate more clearly on his incredible blessings poured out in the gift of creation given to us.

Then praise Him for the Gift of Christ's love and determination to save us.

Then pray that every moment through the Sabbath you will be attuned to His wonderful will for you, to bless you and fill you with a knowledge of his power, authority, and love.

Go and run and do it for the glory of God. Make it worship run.

[abelisle]

Kika,

Don't sweat it (pun unintended) For years I ran a quick 10K on Sabbath mornings and while in worship I was totally focused and very relaxed. I never raced on sabbath but taking care of that temple which is your body is important.

[Barrington]

It is amazing how we can say the taking a shower to refresh ourselves is work. As a child I can remember an Adventist pastor in The Bahamas teaching that. But that is not what the church teaches. Working out on Sabbath (exercising) though I do consider not a Sabbath activity. First of all, it is important to have one day a rest from exercise. Second, our focus should be on worship (not necessarily church attendance). On the other hand, taking a short brisk walk or job because your mental health requires it should not be a sin on Sabbath. Like taking a vitamin pill in the morning, some people must do some kind of physical workout seven days a week to keep mentally whole. It is my view that although this is true, the Sabbath exercise can be less involved.

[Tobiwan]

For me I would rather be on my motorcycle thinking about God then in church thinking about my motorcycle!

What is your focus. If you changed the name of what you did on Sabbath would that make a difference? Mountain climbing was work as a child, and now hill climbing is or seems like more work. The church in Christ's day lost the intent of the Sabbath and we have in a large sense done the same.

We are urged to enjoy and celebrate the Sabbath. As a child. at church picnics, I could wade in the creek but could not go swimming. Then the question was when does wading cross the line and become swimming and how much trouble will I be in if/when I slip on a rock and fall in? (as a large % of kids did, or get splashed) Knee high rolled up pants high, it was impressive how high we could roll up a pant leg when needed!!!!!!

Would I go to a health club? There are people there who want to improve their live and health. What better place to inform people about a God who wants the very very best for them in every aspect of their lives. What better improvement then God's plan.

[Tallmark]

I've been a bodybuilder and health nut all my adult life. Most people think I'm 20 years younger than my chronological age. Once, long ago, I missed a workout during the week and wanted to make it up on Sabbath. I walked into the gym. The music was going, I did my warm up. When I got into the main workout, I found myself lacking strength. I left the gym and never went back on Sabbath again. Here's my take on it:

1. It's called a WORKout, not a restout.

2. I have to put myself into a hard core mindset that I never get into on Sabbath.

3. Running is an addiction. Long distance running is the WORST exercise for your body. Besides bad knees and other joints that are the "gift" of this addiction, it actually shrinks the heart and lungs (do your research).

4. It's the endorphin rush that's the addiction, and it's not healthy. Poor Mark Finley had to have a knee operation because of his addiction to it.

5. It makes people look like a pre-pubescent child.

Natural bodybuilding combined with yogo is the healthiest thing you can do for you body. Pray about this. It's only going to get worse as time goes on. Eventually you won't be happy until you're running marathons. Ugh!

[abelisle]

Gee Tallmark

Sounds like bodybuilding is just as much an addiction, at least for you? Your stereotypical remarks about distance running are totally bogus. My heart and lungs are normal and I don't look like a prepubescent child.

Where do you get all this nonsense from? That's like me saying that all bodybuilders use steroids and suffer from body-image issues. And I sure hope "yogo" is just another variant of "yoga"?

Please leave your negative running biases at home please.

[phkrause]

I was wondering if you were gonna reply to that post.

[anto]

Kika I don’t expect – if you want my humble view, which I'm sure very few would – that God really cares if you train on Sabbath.

I believe God wants humans to get to know the Truth and to remember and live by it as much as is humanly possible. The Truth for many is very hard to accept, and for the rest of us it seems it’s very hard to remember - the Truth that we are all part of something much greater than the physical-material world we see around us, as fantastically great as that is. If you know anyone who is fully seized of that truth, who every waking moment lives as if they are, then you know someone who is truly living fulltime in the Kingdom Of God that Jesus was forever telling humans they ought to try.

Beyond learning this crucial Truth and not forgetting it every two seconds, life has another serious purpose, something to do with becoming equipped to live in an eternal afterlife existence with God. It seems eternal life is not something we’re cut out for, until we’ve lived in this world long enough to come to rely completely on God and give up on becoming self-sufficient, successful, triumphant winners.

Life on earth has a way of throwing up many opportunities to help us in this transformation, none of them all that pleasant. As Rohr says (he may have been quoting another sage) "never underestimate the transforming power of human suffering".

Is your daily run shielding you from the transformative effects of anxiety or boredom or pain or fear? Is it allowing you to cope without ever coming close to that point where you throw up your hands, fall to your knees, and surrender it all to Jesus?

From my own experience, an obsession with health and the compulsion to exercise doesn’t really do that – not for long. I think you’re pretty safe to keep running, your next cruciate ligament or achilles tendon rupture is just around the corner. And in the meantime it’s adding to the time you’ll have to work through heaps of transformative experiences before your body packs it in. I could be wrong but I suspect it’s addictions like alcohol, smoking, drugs, caffeine, sugar, overeating, porn, anti- depressant/anxiety pharmaceuticals, that are more likely to preclude God as the solution to life's woes.

[Tallmark]

Sorry to appear negative. I've known too many people who have hurt themselves with long distance running. Bodybuilding can be done 2 days a week or 6 days a week twice a day depending on what you want out of it. Same as playing an instrument. The higher your goals, the more dedication it requires. I apologize for sounding negative. It never comes out in print the way one would say it.