From Fitness to God’s Witness 

I feel like sometimes building a relationship with Jesus is like going to the gym. You may not always feel like it, but you have to be diligent and go when you don’t want to. And typically, after you do, you feel much better and you build strength. Just like with Jesus, if we seek him even when we don’t feel like it, it strengthens our relationship with him, and we get better! 

Growing Pains

There are growing pains and times you may fall. But each time you get back up and go again, you get stronger. Throughout life there will be many trials. But, you can’t allow them to defeat you, because Jesus has already defeated them. 

Often it is said those with the greatest callings face the greatest temptations. The more you seek God the more the enemy will seek you out. But you don’t have to fear because He has overcome the world! With Him on your side, you will triumph. 

Pain Makes You Stronger

When going to the gym you often take pre-workout and protein to help build your muscles and help them recover. It’s the same with Jesus, we need his word and prayer, which is the pre-workout, and the protein to build our spiritual muscles and to help us “recover” from our sin.  Sometimes when we hear things in an analogy it helps it to be more relatable and understandable. 

I was working out and the Holy Spirit started speaking to me. He was saying see how you didn’t feel like going today, but you did, and you feel better. You work out and feel pain, but that pain makes you stronger. The days you don’t feel like seeking me, seek the most, and you’ll feel better. The pain you go through, embrace it as you do your workout pain, because, like the pain I am making you stronger. 

There’s a Certain Growth that Only Comes From Pain

There’s a growth that can only come from pain. You may not see it or understand it at the time, but know it will work out for your good. Just like when you sleep, and your muscles are recovering and growing, I am using what the enemy meant for evil and turning it for your good as you rest. 

All of this spoke so much to me. Because there are days when I am stressed and tired; I don’t feel like writing my blogs, reading the word, and seeking Jesus. Despite that, I do, because I know people as well as me, need to hear the gospel and that writing these posts may help someone through a similar struggle. 

Be Assured, God is Always Working

Sometimes we need to be reassured that God is always working. When we are awake, asleep, afraid, or lost, He is working. When we feel alone and cannot seem to find our way, He’s laying our path. He’s placing people around you and placing words on your heart to help you get through. Let this reassure you that God is always on your side, and he is working out your struggles. 

When all hope is lost in the world, look up. God is so much bigger than our problems. We too often place more emphasis on our problems, and not enough on our God. Even if you have to set a schedule, even just five minutes a day, use that time to pray, read a few verses, praise, worship, and give thanks to God. This will help keep you consistent and seeking Hom regardless of your emotion. 

Serve God out Of Devotion, Not Emotion

I recently heard it said serving God is not about our emotion, it’s devotion. We shouldn’t only give praise when we “feel good”. That’s serving out of emotion. We won’t always feel good, serving out of devotion is serving on the good and the bad days. When we are devoted, we serve on the terrible days and give praise.

 We are devoted no matter what. Nothing can sway us or our devotion. Stay devoted. Don’t let anything lead you astray from God. The day you stop seeking God is the day you give a foothold to the enemy to start moving in. Once again, just like with the gym; you miss one day, then one turns to two, then three. Next thing you know it has been weeks. Missing that one day of devoting your time to God can cause you to fall back into old habits and bad patterns. 

Embrace Your Pain and Build Your Spiritual Muscles

It’s so easy to be bad, and that’s because of our flesh. It’s hard to be good. If it was easy the Bible wouldn’t say the gate is narrow to Heaven, but the path to destruction is broad. We have to work every day putting on the Armor of God to be a good and faithful servant. Don’t let the world tell you it’s easy or you will resent God when it’s hard. 

Following God is the most rewarding thing you can ever do. But, sometimes you have to remind yourself that your treasure is in Heaven. Do not get discouraged when you don’t always see the fruits of your labor here on Earth. 

Keep building your spiritual muscles. Don’t give up when it gets hard. Embrace all of your pain just like when you are working out and embrace the pain the next day because you know that means you got a good workout and your muscles are building. That pain is building you into God’s soldier enabled to fulfill your calling. As you’ve heard, your mess is your message. Those tests turn into your testimony. Let your pain become your victory.