Okay we all know that strength training is not easy and there are many of us who really dispise it, at least I do. It's painful to lift those weights and do those squats and the sit ups, well I won't even begin to discuss those. Oh yea we love the results, we love to be fit and trim, we love to have strength but getting there can be a real battle. We dream of a perfect body, with perfect curves and perfect muscles but are we willing to do the work? Seriosuly think about it. How many hours in a gym will it take to get the body we want? How many donuts and pizzas are we willing to give up to get our body in the shape we desire? It's easy to dream about being in shape, it's eay to plan to succeed, but it ain't easy to committ to follow through and do the work we need to do to get there. We can even make plans to do it, we buy the gym membership, or invest in a weight machine for the house, but that first time a conflict arises and throws us off schedule, we can lose momentum.
Strength training, physical strength training is hard work but the results can be transforming for our bodies, our health and our minds. It can change our attitude about ourselves and others. We feel better about ourselves, like we actually accomplished something important. It can also motivate us to motivate others and offer support for those struggling, but if the results are not what we expected, or it's harder that we had imagined, we can become discouraged and give up. Sound familiar?
Okay not let's go deeper......what about strength training with the Holy Spirit? That may seem petrifying and extrememly risky, but just like physical strength training the results can be amazing. The catch with dealing with the Holy Spirit is we have to get real honest with ourselves because let's face facts, the Holy Spirit already knows the condition of our hearts, He already knows every thought we will think before we even think it, He already knows every word we will speak before we even speak it. He knows us better than we know ourselves so we can't pretend or try to deceive the Holy Spirit because He knows the truth about who we really are. With those facts in mind strength training with Him becomes one of the most difficult things we may ever do, but it will be the most rewarding thing we ever do.
Oh I have gone through this strength training with God (through the Holy Spirit) and I can honestly say it was the hardest thing I ever did. At the end of my training I lost friendships, I stopped reading certain books, I stopped listening to certain music, I stopped watching certain TV shows and movies I used to watch all the time became a challenge for me. At first this seemed a bit unfair but then I was reminded by God that He had a plan and a purpose for my life that required me to surrennder my flesh. I felt weak and weary. I was giving up so much, or so I thought. But in the end, relying on His strength and surrendering my flesh brought me to my knees and He lifted me up and helped me to soar on the wings of eagles. It has been so worth it!! It was tough but so rewarding.
Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Listen we can either keep roaming around the chicken coop with the rest of the chickens or we can soar on the wings of eagles. It's our choice, but it will also be our consequence to face either way. I grew tired of being a chicken. How about you?
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