No Pain, No Gain

     
Okay, I know most of us have heard the old cliché "No Pain, No Gain", pertaining mainly to the grind of weightlifting or exercise, yet applicable in most arenas of life. I guess the accepted thought on that is if you don't experience a certain degree of discomfort and strain in your workouts you probably aren't going to experience any noticeable level of improvement. Well, having a son-in-law with a Master's degree in Strength & Conditioning provides me with an expert on physical training, so I went a little deeper to find out exactly what the meaning of the "no pain, no gain" mindset actually is. According to Coach JD Newsom, what exactly is happening when we make the decision to add another 10 lbs. to the barbell or push out just one more rep, is we are "Forcing microfibers to stretch which causes them to grow. This stretching causes micro tears in the muscle that through rest and recovery (letting them relax, feeding them protein, massaging) they repair and expand." JD shared with me that there will be no growth unless you increase the resistance, reps, sets, or weight. "You just can't maintain the same and get more results."
     I'm pretty sure, you didn't accidentally tune in here thinking you were going to get a lesson in physical conditioning, so where am I going with this one today you may be asking? On the contrary, our FTM today is directly related to the idea of "no pain, no gain" and growing our faith and our trust in God. You see, in weightlifting, in becoming a better academic student, a better baseball shortstop, wrestler, volleyball setter, a better husband, mother, son, (you get the idea) the person has to put more effort, more time, and more commitment into their area of improvement to actually see gains. I can sit around and talk about becoming the next Lou Ferrigno, but that ain't going to happen without me applying the "no pain, no gain" rule to my workouts. (In my case, I'm not going to reach Lou Ferrigno status regardless of my efforts, I'm just saying.) But you get the idea, if we want to improve, if we want to excel, if we want to become better than we currently are, then we are going to have to pay the price. Believe me that is desirable. Those that are driven to be the best embrace the grind and the whole process of being broken down just to become stronger in the process.
      If this process is the accepted standard in life for growth, then why wouldn't it apply to our walk of faith and our relationship with our Maker? We have established that the desired growth we want is garnered through a certain degree of pain, so shouldn't we embrace the adversities and afflictions that we encounter, endure, and eventually overcome in our own daily lives? Now, I'm not saying that when we encounter a catastrophe we should be jumping up and down with joy. Life can give us some pretty tough experiences and enduring them can definitely be a challenge, possibly even an insurmountable ocean spread out in front of us. We have to alter our mindset to not only tread the water, but more importantly to cross that great divide.
     When I face adversity, when a problem presents itself and a solution seems like a distant sliver of light that is when I truly shine. In everything I do I want to be the one that overcomes the mountain in front of me, even if it is only to see a range of mountains that stand in my path. The wider the extent of the suffering the broader my opportunity is to overcome it and grow through it. Instead of looking at a problem and whining about having to deal with it, why don't we all look at the situation in front of us and let our imaginations run wild with all the potential for growth that can be gained through the experience. No pain, no gain. Simply put that rule aptly applies here in our walk with God just as much as it does in weightlifting. There's a particular quote from Winston Churchill that fits our topic appropriately, "The pessimist sees the obstacles in every opportunity, while the optimist sees the opportunity in every obstacle we encounter." For us to grow spiritually, for us to learn to depend on and count on our God to see us through the storms of life and bring us out stronger on the other side, we have to embrace the fact that for our relationship to deepen with God, we must grow to a place where our infirmities, our afflictions, and the other obstacles that stand in front of us are all necessary for us to grow into the man or woman God wants us to be. The apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 12: 9-10 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 
If you want to become the next Incredible Hulk or if you want to become the man or woman God created you to be, then embrace life's challenges. Look for how you can grow through the process. Seek the support of our Lord and Savior, and then after your pain and suffering is eased, rest and repair your body, soul, and mind! Let your pain become the source of your gain!
Coach Carter