The Trainer and Trainee

I was asked to participate in a church discipleship program as a "trainer" (mentor). The ministry staff scheduled an informational meeting to give us an overview before we committed. I sat next to a woman who is a generation ahead of me and has been my "trainer" through many circumstances.

She's attended many small group studies I've led and enhanced discussions, clarified my explanations, and corrected my misinterpretations.

She's challenged me to grow spiritually, never allowing me to settle for the easy path but coaxing me down the path that leads me closer to God.

She's seen me at my worst: face-to-face in the pit of my sin, even in denial about it, tears of frustration, agony and desperation.

She's loved me...like Jesus.
She's accepted me...like Jesus.
She's challenged me...like Jesus.

And here I was, sitting by her side as we both considered training others.

I could have been intimidated, thinking I'm unworthy to train others as she trains me. I could have felt ill-equipped and fearful.

My reaction surprised me. I felt honored.

Honored that God would use me to reflect Jesus in the same ways this woman has reflected Jesus.

Honored this woman would not question my ability but instead sit by my side with an encouraging smile. She would never assume any responsibility for my spiritual growth, and her humility further reflects Jesus to me.

I encourage and equip women every day in my work and ministry. I pour into the lives of women, listening to their hurts and thrilling in their joys. I love the opportunities God gives me to disciple others.

But as I sat in the meeting, I was overwhelmed in the opportunity God gives me to be discipled. I am determined to glorify God in all relationships...whether I am discipling or being discipled.

Who are you discipling? Who is discipling you? Embrace the relationships God has given you.

God disciplines us to help us, so we can become holy as he is. We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way. - Hebrews 12:10b-11

Weight-Training

Weight rooms stink. There’s something about that stale, sweaty man smell I just don’t like. And yet, in order to develop our muscles, we have to actually work out. Sometimes, most of the time, our workout conditions are less than pleasant. Here are several benefits of weight training:

As you build muscles, your metabolism increases, which regulates your food intake.
Weight training increases your energy level.
Weight training helps you stay healthy, including your blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol level and more.
Weight training helps strengthen your muscles and bones, which also improves your posture.
Weight training can improve balance and coordination.

How can you apply some of these same principles to potential benefits of spiritual weight training?

Do you know that Bible verse that says, “God will never give you more than you can bear?”

It doesn’t exist.

Surprised? 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (NLT)

The weight we feel (in this case, temptation) isn’t about what God gives us! It’s about what God provides for us as we deal with the burden! It’s about our response to the weight, not the weight itself. We get so focused on the weight itself. We weaken under it and wonder why God would give us such a heavy burden. We rationalize we must be able to handle it, since God gave it to us. And yet Scripture doesn’t say God gave it to us. Even God gets misquoted!

Why is it so important to distinguish whether God actually gives us the weight or he gives us a way to deal with the weight? Think about weight training. When you begin weight training, you don’t begin with the heaviest weight you can lift. It’s more important to lift a weight you’re comfortable with, a weight that is working your muscles but that you can lift repeatedly. Ten repetitions of a ten pound weight are better for your muscles than one lift of a 100-pound weight. Even Olympic weight lifters don’t train under their maximum weights. They train for their maximum weights. In order to get strong, you have to condition your muscles to gradually develop strength.

As we assume God doesn’t give us more than we can bear, we can become complacent and not train. After all, if God won’t give us more than we can bear, he knows whether or not we’ve been training, so he wouldn't push our limits, right? But remember...God doesn’t give us the weight. He gives us the capability of the dealing with the weight, and he gives us instructions to be disciplined in our spiritual training. The reality of what we can bear with training and what we bear without training can be drastically different. I might have the potential to lift 200 pounds, but if I’m not lifting smaller weights on a regular basis, 200 pounds is going to seem overwhelming to me very quickly. It might never be easy for me to bear the weight, but I can make it a little easier…or a little harder by whether or not I regularly work out.

How are you training your spiritual muscles?