Welcome to 2022 everyone, and have you made your New Year’s resolutions? The most common New Year’s resolution in America is to get in shape. I know just a little bit about that, for over the years I have been in and out of shape many times. Perhaps you’ve heard the joke when people say I’m going to get in shape. …And round is a shape. Back in high school and in my 20’s, I spent quite a bit of time at the gym. I had good friends and we would push each other to lift more and more weight. Whether it would be curling or bench pressing, our goal was always to add more weight. When we would set out to get a new personal best as we lay at the bench getting ready to press, we always felt good when we could say “add another plate”. Adding another plate meant you were getting stronger. Sometimes we would jab at each other if it looked like the exercise we were doing was too easy we would say. You need to add another plate. This became the measurement of success.
Recently I’ve been thinking about this in spiritual terms. What is a measurement of success? Is it possible to “add another plate” spiritually?
I came to this conclusion for me: James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.“
Consider it pure joy when you face trials? In my life, trials bring a heavy heart. If a trial is heavy, does that mean God is adding a plate? Is it possible that God is adding a plate because he knows the truth about what he has told me: Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Does that mean that not only God did add the plate but he knows I can lift it? Does that mean that God knows better than I do…?
1 John 4:4 The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
I have been encouraged by these thoughts lately. I, like most people, prefer a smooth flat path for my life. However, hills, valleys, curves, and bumps are usually the path we all get. I have started thinking in my mind that whenever something doesn’t go my way, I envision God sliding another plate onto the bar. He knows it won’t crush me; he has already strengthened me. He will never leave or forsake me. I will be able to stand up under it. The weight is not too much. It’s just going to make me stronger in Him.
To take it even further, if a friend is going through something hard, would it be an encouragement to say to them “God’s adding plates”? In the gym it was cool when you could add plates. Is it cool that God puts more weight on because He knows you can stand up under it? God knows your max and you have not yet hit your personal best?
Recently, for me (when I’m at my best) instead of getting mad or scared or frustrated when life gets hard, I find myself smiling and saying to myself… God’s adding plates. And really… that’s a good thing.
Well here we are. Welcome to 2022. Maybe this will be the year we all get stronger and in better shape with Jesus?
May God bless us all.
Steve