“…but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.“ 1 Cor 10:13
Jim was a strong guy. He could literally crack a walnut with his chest. At the time (many, many years ago) I weighed in at about a buck-fifteen soaking wet. So when I heard Jim say, “Gimme a spot,” I had to do a double-take to see if he was talking to me.
Do you know what 325 lbs looks like on a weight bench?
Pretty intimidating.
After a few reps he was slowing down… but he was determined to finish.
I was getting nervous. I thought I was in the clear after ten… with his veins popping and his face red. Then… he said it…
“One more.”
I was sweating just worrying about having to lift this. So I kicked in to “motivation” mode.
“Let’s do it!” I said, as if I really had anything to do with it.
I must have yelled “Push it!,” “Come on!,” “You got this!” more times over the 5 seconds it took him to lift that bar than I have since.
I knew I could never lift that weight.
But being a spotter isn’t about showing people how strong you think you are…
It’s about showing people how strong you think they can be.
God would never put you on a bench with more weight than you can bear.
I know that.
So I know that when it looks like you are struggling… when you think it is too much… that it is too hard… that you are just about to have your arms give out…
You’ve got it in you to finish. You’ve got it in you for one more.
Yes, He can lift that bar at any moment… (or have the cup pass)…
But He isn’t trying to show you how strong He is…
He is trying to show you how strong you can be in Him.
“His strength is made perfect in our weakness.”
And unlike me with Jim… Christ can trade places with you mid rep and finish the set.
He has the way of escape when we find ourselves past our limit.
But it is only when we pass our limits that we enjoy His.
And He is limitless.
So come one… when you face that next “heavy” thing… that next time of stress or strain…
Remember…
He is spotting you… and in Him… you got this!
Jim was a strong guy. He could literally crack a walnut with his chest. At the time (many, many years ago) I weighed in at about a buck-fifteen soaking wet. So when I heard Jim say, “Gimme a spot,” I had to do a double-take to see if he was talking to me.
Do you know what 325 lbs looks like on a weight bench?
Pretty intimidating.
After a few reps he was slowing down… but he was determined to finish.
I was getting nervous. I thought I was in the clear after ten… with his veins popping and his face red. Then… he said it…
“One more.”
I was sweating just worrying about having to lift this. So I kicked in to “motivation” mode.
“Let’s do it!” I said, as if I really had anything to do with it.
I must have yelled “Push it!,” “Come on!,” “You got this!” more times over the 5 seconds it took him to lift that bar than I have since.
I knew I could never lift that weight.
But being a spotter isn’t about showing people how strong you think you are…
It’s about showing people how strong you think they can be.
God would never put you on a bench with more weight than you can bear.
I know that.
So I know that when it looks like you are struggling… when you think it is too much… that it is too hard… that you are just about to have your arms give out…
You’ve got it in you to finish. You’ve got it in you for one more.
Yes, He can lift that bar at any moment… (or have the cup pass)…
But He isn’t trying to show you how strong He is…
He is trying to show you how strong you can be in Him.
“His strength is made perfect in our weakness.”
And unlike me with Jim… Christ can trade places with you mid rep and finish the set.
He has the way of escape when we find ourselves past our limit.
But it is only when we pass our limits that we enjoy His.
And He is limitless.
So come one… when you face that next “heavy” thing… that next time of stress or strain…
Remember…
He is spotting you… and in Him… you got this!
SDG
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