One of the most memorable moments in the movie about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team isn’t the victory over the Soviet Union, but what took place long before the game ever began. After a disappointing exhibition loss, Coach Herb Brooks gathered his players at center ice and ordered them to skate. They skated until their legs gave out, until they collapsed from exhaustion, and until they believed they had nothing left to give. The arena emptied, the fans went home, the lights were turned off, and the janitors finished their work, yet the team continued skating. To everyone watching, it appeared excessive, harsh, and even unfair. However, Herb Brooks was not punishing his players because they had lost a game. He was preparing them for a game they had not yet played. He knew they would eventually stand across the ice from the greatest hockey team in the world. The Soviet team was stronger, faster, more experienced, and had spent years dominating international competition. If his players trained only to meet the demands of the opponents they had already faced, they would never survive the challenge that awaited them. The intensity of their training reflected the magnitude of the battle they had yet to encounter. The Christian life often unfolds in much the same way. Many believers assume that seasons of hardship indicate God's absence or displeasure. When life becomes difficult, it is tempting to wonder why God would allow so much pain, so many delays, or so many disappointments. Yet Scripture consistently reveals that God is not merely concerned with our present comfort. He is preparing His people for future assignments that require a depth of faith they do not yet possess. God often allows us to experience trials because He sees battles that remain hidden from our view. James teaches that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Paul explains that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the discipline of the Lord is painful for a season, yet it eventually produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness in those who have been trained by it.

Faith in God, would be Far Greater, if He Favored your Grievances. Fortunately HIS Guidance Follows Genuine biblical principles. Drop a comment if this hits you. #GodRepurposesSkeletons

Galatians 5:22-23