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NO PAIN, NO GAIN

It's maybe one of the oldest training phrases in the world - "No pain, no gain."

It's the idea that:

  • You won't be stronger without the pain of lifting heavier weights.
  • You won't be a better fighter without taking a few on the chin and learning your lesson.
  • You won't be faster without the pain of sprints and being out of breath.

This applies outside of sports:

  • You won't ever be wealthy without the pain of adhering to a budget.
  • You won't ever be your own boss without the pain of starting your own business.
  • You won't ever be CEO without the pain of climbing the ladder.

It's just the most basic requirement of life - there is no roses, rainbows, and unicorns life.

Jesus doubles down on this in Luke 24:25-27.

LUKE 24:25-27

Jesus is in His glorified/resurrected state, and he is walking beside his buddies while keeping his identity hidden from them.

When they express their disappointment in how things have turned out, he replies to them:

25 ...“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

In other words, Jesus walks them through the scriptures showing how everything in the Old Testament and in some way all of it was "concerning himself."

It was all pain to gain.

  • Abraham pain to gain
  • Joseph pain to gain
  • Israel pain to gain
  • David pain to gain
  • Prophets pain to gain
  • And the list goes on and in more detail

YOUR SUFFERING IS FOR YOUR GLORY

We all get pitched on an easy, soft life, and we are disappointed when it's not (much like the disciples in this story).

However, faith reminds us over-and-over again that life is hard, difficult and trying.

There's a lot of suffering in this life.

However, there's no glory without suffering.

Paul echoes this in romans 8:17 when he says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

This season of resurrection reminds us that:

  • There is no glory without grit
  • There is no success without suffering
  • There is no pain without gain

Hang in there.