Athletic Trainer

We accept that if we want to lose weight, build muscle, or get healthy that we may hire an athletic trainer/personal trainer. They will push us to do more reps, lift more weight, do more time and we accept that. Phrases like "no pain, no gain" are commonplace and acceptable. We stretch, we push, we build endurance and muscle.

So, why when a pastor or a church leader pushes us we back away? We don't want to discuss our weakness. We don't want to stretch beyond our current place. We don't want to build spiritual muscle.

Many people leave their church in 3-years and look for another church. Typically the claim is they got offended by the church... the pastor wasn't perfect (they are flawed people too), they start to see beyond the face forward on the pulpit and church leaders are knocked off the pedalstool they were unrealistically placed on, then people stop being teachable or open to working on their flaws.

We need to not walk away from the opportunity to heal. The opportunity to have authentic relationships where flawed people help each other. It is a process of honesty and work... "no pain, no gain."

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Stretching and exercising our faith is also something God wants to do in life. As the Lord stretches us, He stretches our faith. What this means is that we need to learn in the spiritual how to be flexible, subtle and bendable in the hands of the Lord as well as open to being teachable, dealing with flaws, and building spiritual muscle.