No Pain, No Gain

I have a love-hate relationship with my personal trainer. I hate the pain and pressure I feel when he’s pushing me to my limit but I love the results. I trust my personal trainer because he has my best interest at heart and his robust regimen has enhanced my fitness level.  His goal is to make me an increasingly stronger and healthier person – not a small feat given where I was a few years ago– and his infliction of what may be ‘pain’ to me, is intended for my personal gain. Progress is relative and when you look at the path behind you, you can’t help but feel encouraged and motivated to face the path that’s ahead of you. Whether it’s baby steps or giant leaps, it’s still a move in the right direction.

Three years ago I was struggling to do repetitious sets with 5lb weights in each hand. Today, I can easily do 15lbs.  In my last training session we tried 25lbs and I struggled, to say the least. Right after that, my trainer handed me two 5lb weights; they felt like pencils in my hand.  Pain is relative. The more pain we experience, the stronger we become to weather the next storm that life will bring. Things that knocked us down in the past can barely move us today.  Our resilience grows as we encounter hardships and we find ourselves becoming more immune to the trials that come our way.

James 1: 2-4: 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.

I love my Personal Savior (Jesus Christ) but I do sometimes question and groan about the difficulties that He allows in my life.  I trust in Him and in His unconditional love for me and I know that He allows trials to make me a better, stronger and more faithful Christian that leans on Him to provide for all my needs.

Romans 8:28:  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I look to Him for relief when I feel overcome by the weight of the world but once the trial has passed and I emerge victorious, I am encouraged by the fruit that resulted from the ordeal and I know that my trial was not in vain but was allowed not only for my benefit, but for the blessing of others.

James 1:12:  Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.