Tension Outside Of The Gym

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”n~ 1 Peter 1:6-7
One of the best developers of strength and thus speed in the Olympic lifts is time under tension. Specifically, for the development of strength putting your body under tension at weak places for extended periods of time will develop strength. It’s the cumulative amount of time spent under that tension that creates strength, NOT just in one session. For instance, if I wanted to get stronger in the dip for my jerk I would add pause jerk dips into my training. This way I am under tension in the bottom of my dip for an extended period of time. That time under tension will make me stronger there.
The same truth is true outside of the gym. Hard things, tension, and pressure sanctify us. A great example of this is Joseph. His life began with some immature, slightly-arrogant decisions to elevate himself over his brothers (sure he was right, but you have to be smarter than that). However, from then on his life was one hardship after another. He was nearly killed by his brothers, sold to slavery, falsely accused of rape, and also left in prison and forgotten about. However, by the end of his life he was a matured, sanctified man full of compassion and love for the very men who tried to kill him and later sold him into slavery. Not to mention his savvy for running the pharaoh’s household was astronomical. It was the tension, hard times, and pressure that caused that.
Scripture is clear that while we may not like what is hard, what is hard develops us. Don’t avoid it, run from it, or skirt it. Embrace it. Trust that the Lord is good. Trust that He loves you and does what is best for you, and that He is in control. Faithfulness to those truths amidst hardship will sustain you and later make you stronger. Contrary to popular belief, hardship can’t rob our joy. Our joy is bound completely in Christ as Savior. Nothing can take that. Ask Job.
Don’t avoid the hard things. Tension in life and in training will make you better.n