Weightlifting.

Besides Arnold Schwarzenegger, “The Rock”, and my husband, is there really anyone else on the planet who enjoys this activity?

The very idea of stressing your muscles to the point of exhaustion and pain is not my idea of fun (and, of course, “fun” should be a prerequisite for any activity or task, in my opinion).

However, watching my husband’s discipline over the years has given me a deep appreciation for what he’s working to do – be physically healthy and strong.

It’s also given me the opportunity to understand God and His wisdom a little bit better.

Countless times in my Christian journey, I have faced my own spiritual weight bench while walking through deeply painful circumstances. My prayers felt futile and my faith weak.

A failed first marriage that ended in divorce leaving me with fragile security and identity issues.

A child who went prodigal for several years causing me to wrestle with internal doubts and fears.

Friendships that became fractured and frayed over the years leaving me to wonder if there was more I should have done to salvage them.

Those examples (and so many more) were filled with crushing guilt, unbearable shame, and waves of darkness that drove me to my knees.

But it was through those deeply trying and extremely painful situations that God grew my faith. The spiritual weight increased; the burden intensified; and my faith muscles were challenged in order to grow stronger.

If we are never met with resistance, we remain puny. Faith weaklings.

It’s in the trials, the siftings, and the hardships that our faith muscles are pushed and made to grow. It’s through our most difficult seasons that we mature in our faith the most.

“Consider it great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance…let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4 CSB)

The good news, and thanks be to God for it, is that He doesn’t allow more weight to be put on us than we can handle.

“…God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but…will provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13 CSB)

So, the next time you find yourself doing some spiritual heavy lifting, don’t quit! Know that God is working to grow some healthy, strong faith in you!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!