Weightlifting 101

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he weight room in our high school gym was one of the most popular places on campus.  This was especially true for the guys training for football, basketball, track and field, or baseball, a sport for which our town remains well-known and respected.  However, the weight room was not only used by student athletes.  Some of the teachers and coaches used the facilities to remain in good physical shape.

Each day after school, guys would pour into the gym, dress out, and begin their exercise routines.  Some would use free weights, others would use the available machines, and the rest would do exercises or spot for those lifting. All those using the weight room had one goal, to increase their strength, reduce their body fat, and build muscles.

The results of their labor were evident.  Not long after they started training, all the guys began taking on a different appearance.  They grew bigger and stockier.  Their increased size and strength evidenced their dedication to become physically fit.  However, there was another by product which could not be seen but was just as real.  That by-product was pain. 

Before entering training, everyone knew that pain would be a part of the process.  In order to build muscle, you have to tear muscle.  Tearing a muscle is never fun and it is never done without pain. But without pain, without constant training and stretching, muscle does not grow, strength is not increased, and a good physical condition is not maintained.

This same principle applies to our spiritual conditioning as well.  If we mean to grow spiritually, we must exercise our faith.  This is never easy and it is never pain-free.  If you’ve ever tested your faith, if you’ve every increased your ability to trust God, chances are you’ve paid a visit to God’s weight room.  The only way to grow more faith is to be torn, stretched, and strained so that your faith in him can grow.

This is what the James had in mind when he wrote the following, “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:3-4).  Just as an athlete’s goal through training is to perfect his body, so the goal of spiritual training is to perfect our souls.  Notice that James says that the goal of the spiritual workout is perfection.  He does not mean we will be perfect, we’re human.  However, he does suggest that we will be complete, lacking in nothing.

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od’s goal for us as Christians is to be complete in him.  We achieve this only by increasing our faith and our trust in him.  In order for our faith to grow, it must be tested, stretched, and strained.  Only when this happens can new and stronger faith grow.  God does not leave us to go through this alone.  He is there beside us, watching us, making sure the load does not over burden us.  He knows just how much weight is needed to make us stronger in him.  So, are you up for some spiritual bench pressing today?