“You are so strong.” As the old saying goes, if I had a dime every time I heard that, I would have a whole lot of dimes.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t look back on the pain I have endured as strength. Instead it is something I have experienced and done my best to survive. 

Yet we find Peter addressing fellow Christians in a letter in ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Working out is not something I am good at doing. I always have these great ideas to start a workout, but generally a few minutes in I am regretting my decision. However, there was a season, before baby number four, that I was doing Insanity and girl, I looked good! For real though 6 am workouts were insane and Shaun T was the worst at making me unable to raise my arms to even wash my hair. I endured a lot of physical pain but I was strong, my body was firm, and I was unwavering from the routine that got me to finally be back to looking and feeling good. 

Until a kink in the plans derailed me and here I am six and a half post baby years later only dreaming of who I was then. 

Maybe you are thinking, just do it again! I’ve thought of that, but the problem is the pain and suffering I have to go through first. 

Recently one of my sweet friends in my women’s eGroup (my church’s small group) said, 

“Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to find the Rock to stand on.” 

Go ahead and read that again. I hear you shouting, “Amen!” Have you noticed your closest time with Christ revolves around pain and suffering?

When something is happening that is out of my control I can’t do anything but rely on Him. When I am barely able to move from the pain, I am leaning in more to the Word and listening with an open heart. 

No wonder during this time we are restored, made strong, firm, and steadfast because we have gone to the Source. 

Where is the magic pill or my fairy god mother’s wand? If Cinderella’s pumpkin can turn into a carriage it can’t be too much to just move some extra ness to other areas. I feel this way about workouts and often my faith.

The harsh reality is if you want it, you have to work for it and if you are truly willing to be transformed there will be pain and suffering. 

How willing are you to be transformed?