James 1:12 ESVBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
It occurred to me this morning while running on the
treadmill that hitting the physical wall in training can be compared to hitting
the spiritual wall in following Jesus.
The natural reflects the supernatural.
While my heart rate was rising and the sweat was pouring
down my face, my legs started to scream, “Slow down!” I was coming to the wall
of my endurance and the temptation of slowing down my run won.
Yesterday I failed.
Once more Father led me into temptation and instead of
obeying Him I slipped into my fleshy way and failed the test. Guilt overpowered
me and oppression set in. I hit the spiritual wall of endurance. I didn’t
realize that yesterday but today, while running, I saw and understood.
As we physically train our bodies for endurance we do so
slowly and steadily increase our distance and speed, in the case of running,
biking or walking, or weights and repetition, in the case of weight lifting. Sooner
or later we will hit the wall, where we cannot go past it. No matter how hard
we try it seems we cannot go any faster, longer or lift anymore.
What Father showed me was this spiritual walk of ours is
like endurance training and sooner or later we will hit the spiritual wall. In
my case it was obedience. I learned the more I obey Him the better I will be at
it and when the testing comes I will pass.
When training to increase say speed, you do it slowly adding
in speed drills to increase endurance. As you continue to train eventually your
body and mind become conditioned and soon that wall you were hitting before
comes crashing down and you find you are steadily increasing in speed and
endurance until you hit the next wall.
I see that I was wrong in being frustrated with myself for
failing and I now see that these tests are Father increasing my endurance.
Focusing on Scripture, praying and obeying Him are the training tools I need to
run past the wall in my spiritual walk.
As I was running and coming up to my physical wall it all
came together and I saw the training process.
Romans 5:3-4 ESVMore than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Yesterday’s trial was very painful and I hit the wall and
couldn’t do it anymore, yet I picked myself up, repented of my sin and continue
to obey Father knowing that the more I practice this obedience the sooner this
wall will come down and I will move ahead full tilt until I hit the next
spiritual wall.
Blessings,
Excellent analogy. We do fail forward. It's good to be able to use the wisdom from our Father to see that truth. Three steps forward two steps back…
ReplyDeleteThank you Floyd. :) I LOVE the picture of falling forward! That's good. As you are falling forward you can catch yourself before you hit the ground. Recover, I guess, before you hit.
DeleteI'm really working on this obedience business and I tell you it really is a spiritual workout for one such as me who tends to be, how did my mom put it?...oh yea, a wild child.
Blessings brother,
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Mom's have a way of painting vivid and accurate pictures with little waste of words!
DeleteLol Floyd! You don't want to hear the other names she dubbed me. ;P She was good!
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Hi child of God,
ReplyDeleteabsolutely true. We learn line upon line, precept upon precept. The trials we go through only strengthen us if we trust in the Lord.
Hi Brenda,
DeleteIt is a daily learning journey! So nice walking with those who understand.
Blessings sister,
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Great way to put it! That so reminds me of me. I think when I hit my spiritual wall recently I must of knocked myself out because it too longer that a day for me to pick myself up and get back in the game!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. It helps me.
Blessings, Chelle
Hi Chelle,
DeleteI'm glad this was clear and you were able to glean from it. I love how, when we share, we can learn from someone's trials.
Lol, knocked yourself out. :P I know I done that I am just learning to get up quicker. :)
Blessings sister,
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I've never thought of a spiritual wall in our Christian walk as an emotion word picture. I've read lately about what America's great Theologian Jonathon Edwards called "moral inability" of our fallen flesh and Galatians 5 describe the battle that we all have going on inside of us between the sinful nature and the indwelling Spirit. We need these illustrations to help us imagine what is going on with our soul, spirit and body. Thank you sister for this enlightening post.
ReplyDeleteHi Brian,
DeleteAs you know, the natural reflects the spiritual so it really does make sense that we can take these worldly lessons and apply it to see a spiritual lesson. As I read over this post I see where I lack in really communicating just what I am learning yet I am still stumped at how to get this message across. Galatians 5 is a really good chapter and also Romans 7:21-25 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Thanks for visiting Brian, it is also so good to dialogue with you.
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You really get me to thinking with your posts ... and I like that. I try to walk in your shoes and see through your eyes by your descriptions and stories. I want to be there and experience it ... to know. "I slipped into my fleshy way and failed the test. Guilt overpowered me and oppression set in." Wow, My imagination flies! Yet, how many times have I been there too, in a different situation? This side of heaven, the sinful flesh desires are here, but we do not accept them or stay down when we fall. We stand back up and walk int he Spirit because God delivers us through Jesus Christ, and we abide there ... not looking back, but forward, with our eyes on the Lord. Thank you for teaching me sister.
DeleteHi Brian,
DeleteI so glad this writing of mine is coming across clear and getting you thinking. :) Instead of struggling so much with words, Father has led me to write down the images I get then add in words to make it make sense. Still, there is so much I am trying to share that just isn't coming. :)
Amen! Through Jesus Christ we are delivered and set free. Forward, yes! Forever onward and forward.
Thanks Brian for visiting and encouraging me. :)
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Child of God, Thank you for being such a blessing. You touch us clear to the heart. You encourage and lead by example. In the darkness of this world, you are a light shining on a hill, pointing to the Lord, our God. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
ReplyDeleteThank you Brian for always encouraging and supporting me. I'm humbled.
ReplyDeleteBlessings brother,
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