The Parable of the Personal Trainer

I woke up early, placed my tennis shoes on my feet, grabbed a healthy breakfast, and drove out to the gym to meet my p.t. (personal trainer). He was the owners son and it was very obvious that not only did he know what a person needed to do to get muscles and live a healthy life, he himself was the perfect example. He talked about his strict diet, his love of reaching and showing others the best way to live, his daily commitment to maintain what he set his goal as, and he definitely practiced what he preached. I did my research and chose him carefully. Having a p.t. came with a bit of a cost and I would have to have someone I could trust.

So there I was talking with him and I asked him to make me stronger. I told him that I wanted to not be bound by things like junk food. I told him that I wanted to be like him. He looked at me and said, "Ok, if you want to be strong like me, then you need to start by jogging two miles."

"I don't want to jog," I replied.
He looked shocked and said, "Faith, I thought you said you trust me. You need to jog two miles. I am right here with you and if you get tired I will even help you."
I was becoming frustrated with his persistence. "NO, didn't you hear me? I don't want to jog two miles." I stormed out, went home, and sat on the couch eating the remainder of the ice cream.

After a couple weeks past, I became frustrated at my lack of discipline and lack of control over my lifestyle. I decided to make a new appointment with the p.t. for the next day. I felt ashamed of my actions and decided that I should apologize to him. The next day at the appointment I told my p.t. how sorry I was for not listening and for leaving. He said, "It's ok, I forgive you. Ok lets get back to what we wanted to do. Do you still want to be stronger?"

I thought for a moment and agreed. "Ok, lets start with some of the weights." He picked up the weights and began to do lunges, first the right leg then the left. "Now just do what I am doing," he said as he handed me the weights. At first things seemed to be going better, but then I could feel the burning sensation in my legs becoming stronger. I began to complain, "I can't do this. It burns too much. I just can't do it. I am not as strong as you."
"Faith," he tried to comfort me, "you can do it. I am right here with you and trust me I wouldn't give you something I knew you couldn't do. Just keep trying."
Again I became frustrated and felt defeated. So I set the weights down and quit. 

So often we pray that God will give us things such as strength, patience, perseverance, and faith. We might think we want them but when we see what it takes we want to give up. 

You see, Christ is our P.T. and is our example for how we are to live our lives. We choose Him because we knew that He was true and that he was perfect. He lived the disciplines that he asks us to. Luke 14:27 "And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." He has left us with the Holy Spirit to help us, lead us, and comfort us. When God gives us or allows us to go through trials we should rejoice and lean into our source of strength, God. Philippians 4:13 "  I can do all this through him who gives me strength." God wants to help us grow to be stronger Christians. When God gives you a challenge don't feel defeated and quit, but instead see it as a chance to become more like Him. 

I know that it sounds easier than it is... I truly do. I myself struggle with it, but God has been teaching me to stick it out and fight. Now only if I could do it in my physical health too... ;)

James 1:2-4 
Trials and Temptations

 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

1 Peter 6-9 "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Psalm 71:20 

"Though you have made me see troubles,

    many and bitter,
    you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will again bring me up."

How has God helped you to build strength? Was it difficult?