True Competitor: 7 Days of Spiritual GritSample

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

True Competitor Principle

God never wastes our pain.

I’ve heard it said that pain is just weakness leaving the body. And with respect to physical training, that might just be true. When I was a young, competitive athlete, the “No pain, no gain” philosophy was the standard expectation in the gym and on the practice field. I knew that if I wanted to get bigger, faster, and stronger, I had to experience some pain. Now I’m not talking about injury, just intensity. I had to push beyond my current limits to get better. I had to force my body to do one more repetition, add five more pounds, and stay ten minutes longer. I had to break my body down to build it up. So if I didn’t experience some muscular soreness the day or two following my workout, the workout was a failure. And make no mistake—this approach worked.

Your level of influence and your level of impact will always be equivalent to your ability to tolerate pain. —Craig Groeschel

It would have been easy to take it easy. It would have been easy to compromise, cut corners, or make excuses, but the results would have shown. No one would ever have known if I was pushing myself as hard as I could—at least not until game day. Then everything would have been exposed.

“If there is no struggle there is no progress,” said Frederick Douglass. We must stretch beyond our current capabilities to increase our capacity. In order to grow and get better, sacrifice, struggle, and even some pain are necessary. This is true in sports and in all aspects of life.

• To grow spiritually, our faith must be tested. We have to engage in situations where we need God and depend less on our own strength. We must get out of our comfort zone. We also need to be willing to sacrifice to get quality time in His Word and prayer; we can’t just read a five-minute devotion and expect to grow.
• To grow relationally, we must consider the needs of others above our own. We have to put aside our selfishness and lay down our pride. We may need to extend forgiveness when we would rather harbor resentment and make others pay a price for their mistakes. Forgiveness can be painful, but it is necessary to have healthy relationships.
• To grow mentally, we must seek new learning opportunities and engage with others who know more than we do. We constantly need to seek out the experts and learn not only what they know but also how they think. We must take on an eternal perspective and see things like Jesus sees things. New paradigms stretch our thinking and make us grow.
• To grow emotionally, it is critical for us to experience what others are feeling. We have to “walk in others’ shoes” before we rush to judgment or try to solve problems. Sometimes we must experience pain, disappointment, and even loss to comfort others. This process can be painful.

The apostle Paul knew pain, and he knew gain. In 2 Corinthians 11:23–28, Paul described the pain and suffering that he experienced as a follower of Jesus: “Are they servants of Christ?…I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again” (v. 23).

He went on to describe physical pain, loneliness, fear, betrayal, danger, hunger and thirst, and even homelessness. This is pain and suffering that most of us are unfamiliar with. But his greatest pain was the burden he felt for building up believers and reaching unbelievers with the gospel. This doesn’t sound like the life most of us signed up for when we came to Christ. But suffering is part of what a true follower of Jesus should anticipate.

Paul also knew that in the end, no matter what he experienced, it would be worth it. He was a True Competitor. In Romans 8:18, he said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

We often want the blessing but not the pain. We enjoy God’s promises but don’t want the problems. Most of us will go to great lengths to avoid pain. But if we’re looking for a pain-free, problem-free life, we’ve chosen the wrong path and believe in the wrong God. While it’s true that we’re His children and heirs to the kingdom, we’re also called to share in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10–11). True Competitors use pain to produce perseverance.

Our pain always has a purpose. God never wastes our pain; it is never without a purpose. And God always works all things together “for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). This is a great promise that we can trust fully; this promise helps us endure the longest days, the toughest challenges, the hardest disappointments, and the darkest hours.

God wants to do more in us so He can do more through us. God walks with us in our pain to make us mature and complete, lacking in nothing. Pain, while uncomfortable at the time, may be exactly what we need to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.

True Competitors, let God use your pain for your good and His glory. Don’t give in or give up. Stay in the game. Push beyond what you think you’re capable of. In the end, our willingness and ability to let God use our pain for our good will help us become everything we’re made to be.

Father, stretch me in all areas of my life. Expand my tolerance for pain so that I can grow. Don’t let me take the easy road but use the pain of struggle, sacrifice, and challenges to teach me to depend more fully on You. When I experience pain, I know that You are growing me and shaping me into the likeness of Christ. Help me have the patience to let Your work be done in me. Amen.