I didn’t participate in organized sports as a kid—I sang in the choir. Edited the poetry section of the school magazine. I was in the French club (oui!). The only time I spent in a gym was the required hour each school day for P.E. class.
After our children were grown, my husband decided it would be “fun” for us to join a gym…a Cross-Fit gym. This was serious stuff! And I learned all sorts of things about competing (against myself) and cheering people on. I learned how to swing a kettle bell. How to do pull-ups. How to climb a rope! How to lift weights.
And I discovered that I enjoyed lifting weights. Particularly deadlifts. Especially “heavy” deadlifts (well, heavy for me anyway). Not necessarily while I was actually lifting the weights, but afterwards.
Now, I’ve never experienced a “runner’s high” – unless you count that feeling of relief once the run is over! But maybe 10-15 minutes after a workout where I’d done heavy deadlifts—I could physically feel my mood lift, as I was being flooded with endorphins. The stress and effort of working hard at something I wasn’t naturally good at was rewarded with a merry heart. A cheerful attitude. Lifting weights seemed to lift weight off of me! My heart grew lighter as my body grew stronger…
“…you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (cheerful, hopeful endurance)…Blessed (happy) is the man who remains steadfast under trial…Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.” (James 1:3,12; 5:11)
Those who stay under are the ones who are happy, who develop cheerful endurance. The trial you are going through is the very means that God uses to build that cheerful, hopeful, constant endurance that you need in order to bear trials.
Like weight-lifting.
Lifting 125 lbs. is hard, and that is the very thing that develops the strength needed to lift 175 lbs. Kicking the weights or walking away from them does not increase strength or endurance.
This is spiritual discipline, building spiritual muscle. Not so we can flex and pose, but so we can cheerfully endure with strength.