“Strength is developed through resistance.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes
This is not a new concept and to be honest T.D. Jakes isn’t the first person to say it. It is scientifically proven that in order to build strength you have to overload the muscles you are aiming to strengthen.
Being in the fitness industry, this is something I hear often. It is something I have demonstrated in my own fitness journey. When I decided to squat 225lbs I could not just put that weight on the bar and go for it. I had to progressively overload my muscles each week until I was strong enough to do it. (Do not ask me to do that much now because I will not. That is literally over 100lbs more than my own body weight and to be honest I was just trying to prove a point.) But when Bishop Jakes said this he was referring to the weight of life and the weight of the calling God placed on your life.
What I have come to learn in my 28 years of life – and I still have much more to learn – is that God is more concerned with who we become than what we do. I also have learned that God uses struggles to strengthen you for the life He has called you to live. This means your failures and your victories. Your hills and valleys. (Real life this is still one of my favorite songs EVER! #TaurenWells) Just like in weightlifting you have to build your strength by adding weight to each set until you get to your goal. God uses struggle in the same way. Each struggle that you face is like one set, it prepares you for the next one that is usually bigger and harder; that one is preparing you for the one after it and so on. Each struggle builds your strength/faith and helps you to get closer to your goal. Meeting Jesus face to face.
In weightlifting, when you’re lifting really heavy weight, you have a spotter – someone who is there to help you if the weight gets too heavy for you to manage on your own. They don’t help you unless you NEED it. Sometimes, through that struggle with the really heavy weight you manage to push through and finish the rep. This is where strength is built. If the spotter stepped in before this point, you would never know your true strength. In life, God is your spotter. He is always there to help you, but you won’t get stronger if he helps you every time you struggle.
The only way that God can strengthen you through the struggle, is if you stand under the weight of it.
Paraphrase from Rich Wilkerson, Jr.
As I adjust to life after graduation and try to figure out what comes next (feel free to clue me in anytime Abba), there is a lot of transitioning in my life. I no longer have a set schedule with classes and homework dictating my everyday so, other than work, I have a LOT more free time. Do I write more? Read more? Exercise more? All of the above? It’s kind if crazy, in a beautiful way. The struggle of managing my time in school has helped me to manage my time now. It’s different and a bit harder since I have bigger responsibilities, but I’m prepared for it. I’m sure once I master this life will change for me again and well…honestly I can’t wait #letsdothis
My workouts in school were different as well. I didn’t have time to do as much as I wanted to. No two a days, mostly yoga, and not much in the strength training department. Now I can do it all. I can write a longer program for myself and actually follow it. I can write more and exercise more. I can read while exercising – this however, is not new to me (hi Audible👋).
The best part is having the time to dream and to pursue my dreams. I get to look back over my life so far and smile, thanking God for the struggles that he used to make me into the best possible me today. Then I look forward to the future and seeing what these current struggles I am facing will teach me and how much stronger I will get from it. I can look forward to discovering how these changes will change me. Until then, I will keep doing my best to stand under the weight and trust that when it gets too heavy God is there spotting me. He knows the limit to my strength and He will catch the weight before it overpowers me. #faithwalkin 🏋🏽♀️🧘🏽♀️
