Spiritual Strength Training

Each day in the weight room, you have the goal to get stronger. The goal is not necessarily for the lifting to get easier, because when it starts to get easier... you are supposed to add more weight. If you didn't want to get stronger, you would stay at the same levels and expect the same results week after week. We grow as competitors when we challenge ourselves day by day. 

The purpose of walking with Jesus is not for life to get easier over time, but for our faith to be strengthened. In fact, our circumstances will probably get more difficult over time. While the trial may be hard, we have the strength of past provision to build towards our future hope. Journeying with Jesus guarantees us the power of His Spirit to persevere through the trial. 

Suffering is the pathway to glory. We build our capacity to share in God's glory as we also share in His suffering. A burden that could have once been unbearable is now a heavy, but manageable weight in our spiritual strength training regiment. Sometimes we are resistant to the training, because of past failure, fear or apathy. We have to remind ourselves that God is trustworthy. He always gives us what we need as we press into His heart for us. We don't have to fear the trials ahead, because Christ is strength in our weakness.