1 Corinthians 9:25 reads, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize.”
When you’re being stretched spiritually, your faith in God grows. When you’re being stretched mentally, your old ideas are challenged and replaced with new ones. When you’re being stretched relationally, selfishness dies and love grows. So, are you being stretched right now?
God allows us to have stretching experiences that prepare us for the race He has called us to run in life – and every so often your soul will “hit the wall.” No amount of strength and no amount of pressing will move the problem. This is soul stretch!
Often, these moments aren’t the real test; they are just warm-ups that prepare us for future challenges. They are points of reference designed to keep us from panicking when we’re in the midst of the real race. Remember that God never allows a person to run for Him, or with Him, who hasn’t been stretched in their thinking, their faith, and their ability to live and love. So when you face a problem that just won’t move, remember to take a deep breath and remind yourself that God is stretching you.
It’s the stretching of the soul that enables us to face situations we think will kill us, but don’t – to endure times when we think we won’t make it, but do. Sooner or later we will all face difficult times and relationships, but they are just the deep knee bends of life. So when it feels like you’re being stretched to breaking point, don’t quit. See it for what it is – preparation for running and winning your God-assigned race in life.
© 2017 CE