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?

The Biggest Pumpkin

On the way to the pumpkin patch today, my 15-year-old daughter shared her memories of searching for pumpkins when she was little. What she remembers the most is not being able to pick out a large pumpkin. I don't remember her sharing discontent at the time, but apparently she didn't like my pumpkin-picking rule: You must choose a pumpkin you can carry.

I let my mom fuss alongside Courtney for a few minutes about my "silly" rule before I decided to explain myself. You see, in my opinion, it's never too early to learn we have limits to what we can carry on our own...and we need to recognize our limits.

I doubt I thought through my rule much at the time, but as I meandered through the pumpkin patch this afternoon, I started thinking....

(1) We live in such a me-centered society, and we're taught from an early age that we should be independent. We're supposed to look out for ourselves, because "no one else will." Asking for help is often seen as a weakness.

That's what our culture says, but life here on earth is skewed: So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last. - Matthew 20:16

We need to know when to ask for help...from God, family, friends, neighbors, or sometimes even a stranger.

(2) Limits help us. Boundaries give us safety in our freedom and establish expectations.

We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. - 2 Corinthians 10:13

(3) God wants to help us. He'll challenge us to grow through our experiences and relationships. He'll always share our burden when we rely on him, but he gives us the choice to share our burdens or stress ourselves. And as we rely on him, our strength and faith grows.

For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. - Matthew 11:30

Courtney chose her pumpkin (after trying to lift the biggest one she found), based on the same rule I had over a decade ago. Her muscles were stronger...and she got some extra help: a wagon!