"Stretch"

If you’re reaching then He’s teaching,

That the stretch is good for you,

Not just muscles in your tussles,

But in life’s changes, too.

‘Cause the breezy when it’s easy,

Can make you lose your edge,

And that trial in awhile,

Makes you stronger than a sledge.

We may own the comfort zone,

But there’s too much to learn,

To play the same and keep it tame,

We just might miss our turn,

To change a life and cast out strife,

And live in Jesus’ name,

We hear the call, best not to stall,

But go promote His fame.

Life is short so don’t resort,

To an effort to get by,

But overcome, and add the sum,

Of heaven’s treasure high.

“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:3-4, NLT)

Testing is necessary for spiritual growth. We don’t like it when we have to go through trouble, but it is inevitable. And the good news is that it’s never wasted. God uses it to teach us, and to build our spiritual endurance. Things we learn in the hard times can never be stolen from us because they are etched into our spiritual emotion and consciousness. We may be stretched to the breaking point, but the Lord comes through with grace, power and exactly what we need to overcome. This becomes part of our testimony to others.

Lord, help us learn endurance as we pass through trouble, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by Mary Peters, used by permission. Thanks, Mary, and God bless you.