Coach

They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Judges 3:4

Every weekday, I get up early and head to the gym to participate in a group exercise class, which is programmed and led by a coach. I have CrossFit goals that I’d like to achieve, but I’m not there yet. I have deficiencies in my lifting technique, stamina, and strength, all of which need to be addressed if I intend to get where I want to go. It’s my coach’s job to call out those deficiencies and to make me work on them. And this is hard work. Classes are a grueling hour plus of lifting and training, after which I’m often wiped out for several hours. It’s my coach’s job to put me through some amount of misery to make me better. It would be absurd if I came to the gym only once a week, doing nothing while hoping to get stronger. No, if I want to grow, it’s my coach’s job to daily put me through the discomfort that growth requires.

I’ve often wondered what it would look like if I put that same amount of time and effort into my spiritual growth. As a Christian, I believe that my spiritual development is the most important thing in my life – certainly more important than my physical fitness. For much of my life though, I’ve given only an hour a week for my spiritual growth, sitting in a padded chair, being entertained by those on the church stage. When I have spent time in prayer, it’s been to ask God to remove all my discomforts. I desire the good life, and I hope that God is the genie-in-the-lamp who gets me there.

Today’s passage though, suggests that I look at God less of a genie-in-the-lamp, and as more of a coach. In the story, God allowed Israel’s enemies to put them through trials so he could test and grow them. God’s people had wandered from him. So, to turn them around, God put them through trials. God didn’t pamper their weaknesses and tolerate their flaws. Rather, he put them through the fire so that they could become who they were made to be.

I want God to be my magical buddy who fixes all my trials. God though, often uses my trials to fix me. I want God to be my cheerleader, but he wants to be my coach. As such, it’s his purpose to use discomfort to shape me into who he made me to be. Daily, it’s my job to follow him, putting in the work of obedience if I truly desire to experience the life for which I was made.