If you've ever wanted a cheat-sheet for the answers to life, you’re not alone. Charles M. Schulz, the renowned cartoonist best known for his Peanuts comic strips, once commented that “In the Book of Life, the answers aren't in the back.” Schulz was implying that unlike traditional textbooks where the answers to self-quizzes are hidden in the back, life doesn’t come with such a commodity. But even if we had an answer for every crucial question we’ve had, life would not be much easier. Life is tough, and in many ways, life is a workout.
Most fitness coaches will agree that it is not the workout itself that builds muscle growth, but the recovery process. One commentator wrote that “The process of muscle growth is not known for sure, but most theories are based on the idea that lifting breaks down the muscle, and growth results from over-compensating to protect the body from future stress.” In other words, for your body’s muscle to grow, it must first be broken. The author further emphasizes the point that the only way for your body to build muscle is stress: “Research has shown that in order to increase muscle mass, stress must be put on the body, leading to increased hormone release, and increased flow of nutrients into the muscle, and with rest, muscles will grow.”
The phrase “Biblical maturity” is not just another term given to represent Christianity, but rather, it suggests a stable, mature development in the faith. It implies that when hard times have come, your commitment persevered. When you have endured spiritual stress, you grew stronger through Christ. And Jesus was very clear: we will experience hard times. Encouraging others to live for Christ, Jesus’s apostle Peter wrote: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. . . . if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. . . So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:12-19). Beyond that, Jesus Himself pronounces a blessing, expressing that “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
Just as physical workouts allow us to build muscle and grow stronger, spiritual workouts work similarly. Here is a thought to consider: think back to a time when you went through a hard trial, but you persevered, and hence grew stronger in your faith. If you had a choice, would you have still allowed that trial to take place to get you to the point where you are now in your faith?
But just like any workout recovery process, the most crucial point in muscle development is the recovery. Protein is crucial in the building and development of new and existing muscle. Likewise for believers, when we undergo spiritual workouts and stress in our lives, we need to recover. What we allow or do not allow into our lives will make a large difference through our recovery. For us, our “spiritual protein” is God’s Word. We need to seek Him and His word for guidance, wisdom, and comfort as we recover. He will help us grow stronger and closer to Him in our faith.
Never underestimate the value of a coach. Many bodybuilders credit their coaches for helping motivate, guide, and direct them in the proper workouts, routines, and pushing them to the next level. For Christians, God is our coach. He is always here for us, and encourages us to have continual fellowship with Him. 1 John tells us “And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (5:15), and we are told in Psalm 145:18, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Furthermore, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply states “pray continually.”
Though there is no “Book of Life” with all life’s answers in it as Charles M. Schulz proposed, there is the Bible, which provides us with the wisdom we need to handle every circumstance thrown our way. The Bible makes it clear that life is a workout. But like a bodybuilder, we have a coach to mentor us (Christ), protein to nourish us (the Bible), and ultimately we grow stronger in our faith. This is muscular Christianity.
