Jillian

If you watch "The Biggest Loser" on TV, you know Jillian. She is the hardest trainer ever. No mercy on the surface, but much mercy underneath. She will not let people give up, whine, ask for a break or otherwise do less than what she wants. She pushes people to the end of themselves. They sweat, they huff and they puff. Sometimes they cry. Sometimes they have a break through. 

I sometimes wonder what we need. We like Jesus to be nice and kind and loving and forgiving. I think that is good, and He is. I wonder if He would want us to be pushed a bit. Should we be pressed a bit to grow? Should we sweat a bit? Grunt a bit? Exhaust our selves as we labor to be sanctified and grow the kingdom?

Question: Who should do that? Should Jesus or should we? Who should press us onwards? He calls us, He enables us and He gives us the ability to work it out. He gives us free will. We can choose to do another spiritual push up, or not. 

Hard thought? Yes. Do we need to run to Christ to say, "I can't!" 

If we really can't we should run to Him. 

He may say, "Yes you can!"

Sometimes growth is hard and it hurts.  

Blessings.