I once made daily trips to LA Fitness. The people-watching was entertaining—not only do some “gym-rats” develop odd physiques because they work out one part of the body to the exclusion of all others, but some have peculiar habits, such as spending three-solid hours on the stair master machine, a circular spray of sweat puddling around them. Others only work out in front of a mirror. Some take selfies. And then there’s weirdos like me who hit the treadmill with a book. To read.
Gyms do not reach enough of us to improve the overall state of American health. The obesity epidemic remains at an all-time high. But even those who don’t exercise know they probably SHOULD.
Most agree with the recent tee-shirt seen at the gyms: “PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY.”
We know pushing ourselves hard will make us better, stronger, healthier people. But most of us skip it.
But you can’t skip spiritual pain. When I lived in Eagle Pass, Texas, the wealthiest couple in town went to my church. All their money could not purchase health for their grandson. He was on the prayer list every week and the family was hurting. Life is like that sometimes.
Job says “man was BORN FOR TROUBLE, as sparks fly upward” Job 5:7.
Paul said it this way:
“It is through many hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God” Acts 14:22.
Why do we suffer? Many reasons and no reason. God provides so many reasons: to grow our faith, perseverance, and hope. To glorify Him, to make us more Christlike and more self-less. And sometimes, there’s no clear meaning. Sometimes random, absurd problems come along that defy explanation—but we live in a fallen world. Things break. Sometimes you need to stop looking for a deep meaning and just accept that it happened, and move on. But rejoice. Be thankful. No matter what, you will grow in Christ and know Him better.
Sometimes pain is weakness leaving your heart.
Memorize some verses about adversity; they are the tools that will get you through adversity.
ΑΩ
*The cartoon above was drawn by Tony Auth and was first published on May 11, 1996 in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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