Today's Devotional

May 24, 2005

Subject:  It's A Good Sore

2 Corinthians 4:17 - "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"

May has been a good month for my bodybuilding competition preparation.  I've been running more, walking more and trying to add in muscle-shaping exercises to ensure that all of the muscles are getting a good workout.  However, the hard workouts this month have really left my body fatigued and sore.  I've been walking around the house and saying to my roommate, "Boy I'm sore, but it's a good sore."  Along with the soreness is what feels like pain, but it really isn't pain.  It's simply growth and I know that, hence the words, "but it's a good sore."  In the end however, I know that this strict regimen will yield a much more defined and competition ready form.

This is what God is doing with us in the circumstances of life and often when we go through hard times and are left fatigued and "sore," we don't understand that the pain has come into our lives to yield a much more defined and ready form.  It could be financial difficulties, relationship problems, finding your purpose, finding peace or even your struggle with sin.  All of these things are load-bearing exercises and God is the "spotter."  That means that the weight will never crush you, but instead be used to strengthen you.  What you will soon notice is that the weight that previously seemed like a heavy load, will indeed become light.  

So today, what you think might be a heavy load is really a light one and it is working a far greater good and putting you in much better shape for the next "competition."  And yea you might be sore, but it's a good sore.  

Carlen