The Hidden Blessings of Suffering

Read on: onedayout.com

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Today’s Snapshot:

• Why intentional suffering is beneficial for growth

• How to get lean without hours of cardio

• Finding purpose through obedience

• How a journaling habit has changed my life

• New YouTube video is LIVE

Prayer for Strength

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the trials and tribulations you put us through. We know that during difficult times we can call on your Spirit to give us the strength, perseverance, and courage to keep moving forward. You are our rock, our stronghold, and our deliverer. Help us to endure through suffering and remember what your Son suffered on the cross so we may have a chance at eternal life. Amen.

Let’s advance God’s kingdom together.

To Suffer is a Privilege

Rejoice in our sufferings? Really?

I had to meditate on this one for a bit before it truly sunk in.

A few weeks ago, a spiritual mentor of mine told me that if you look for Jesus on every page of the Bible, you can find Him.

There is no question that the Apostle Paul (the author of the Book of Romans) was referring to Christ when writing this.

Jesus came to earth fully God AND fully man, lived a perfect life, and suffered death on the cross so that our sins would be wiped clean and that we would have a chance at eternal life through the free gift of salvation.

His suffering was the most important event in the history of humanity.

The second part of that sentence talks about how suffering produces endurance. Endurance is the ability to push through unpleasant situations without giving up. We become stronger through our sufferings.

“Endurance produces character...”

The Greek word means “proof.” Theologians have found that it had to do with testing metals to see their purity. For us as Christians, our character is revealed in what is produced in us through these trying times.

“Character produces hope…”

I think about the Apostles here, and the hope they must have felt after seeing Jesus’ character revealed through His suffering. Three days after He died, He returned to them and shared the good news that we can all receive salvation. I imagine that must have given them so much hope.

It gives me hope knowing that our God gives us strength to endure hard times which forges us into a stronger version of ourselves and be better equipped to serve in His army.

Whatever suffering you face, praise the Lord, because you will be better for it.

Hate Long Cardio Sessions? Do THIS to Get Lean.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get lean is doing long cardio sessions.

You might lose a few lbs. off the rip, but eventually, you are going to plateau and start looking skinny fat.

When you do these long cardio sessions (coupled with a large calorie deficit) your body is going to start losing muscle and lack definition, ultimately leading to that soft look… no good.

I used to run 40-60 miles per week while I was in peak marathon training, and it was incredibly difficult to hold onto muscle.

Over the past two months, I have been running only 5-10 miles per week and I have been able to get lean in a healthy, sustainable way without spending hours upon hours doing cardio.

What has worked for me:

• 5-10 miles/week

• 10,000-15,000 steps/day

• 4 minute Tabata sets at the end of all my workouts

I do Tabata sets on either the assault bike or the rower, and they are RUTHLESS.

8 rounds (4-minutes total):

• 20 seconds all-out

• 10 seconds rest

You’d be surprised how gassed you get in 4-minutes.

If you’re trying to get lean, prioritize strength training, eat a high-protein diet, be in a slight calorie deficit, up your step count, and incorporate some Tabatas a few times per week.

Consistency is key, as always.

Pursuing Purpose

This one hit me like a ton of bricks. Read that again if you have to.

Now, of course, it’s a blessing that we live in a free country where we can voice our beliefs, and opinions, and practice our faith.

However, freedom without limitations is a surefire way to distance ourselves from God.

Remember, He never distances Himself from us.

In the Old Testament, King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 12:13, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Jesus also says in the New Testament in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.”

Pretty straightforward.

However, on top of keeping His commands, we are called to share the Gospel.

Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

There it is. We are called to share the Gospel with others and do our best to make disciples who will also be equipped and able to share the Gospel.

If you feel like you lack purpose, remember that everything in this world is temporary, and our main purpose is to share the good news and glorify God. Everything else is secondary.

How Journaling Has Changed My Life

I’ve been journaling off and on for the past 4 years, but have struggled to stay consistent with it.

Recently, two things have changed the game for me to help build a consistent journaling habit:

1. I have been implementing a trick based on the principle from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits on creating a visual trigger that will serve as a reminder to crack open my journal. I place my journal on my pillow in the morning after I make my bed to remind me to write.

2. I have been using the SquadUp app with my friend Joe to hold each other accountable.

Within the SquadUp app, you have one accountability partner, one habit you are both trying to build and a “squad score” so when you both show up that day, your score will increase.

The goal is to get a squad score of 24 over a 28 day period- then you have built a new habit!

Journaling has helped me deepen my relationship with the Lord, rid any anxious thoughts or self-limiting beliefs, and assess my day and how I can improve tomorrow.

You can now download it on IOS or Android! Find a partner and start building that healthy habit.

New YouTube Video is LIVE!

Ya boy is back on YouTube!

Over the past few months, I have felt God putting it on my heart to step back from podcasting and dive back into YouTube.

While I plan to bring the podcast back at some point in the future, I am putting my energy and focus into YouTube.

I suffered a near-death experience last August when I had a cardiac arrest on the track after running an all-out mile.

As you can imagine, it turned my life upside down…

…but in the best way possible.

This video shares the lessons I have learned through this process and how I now structure my days and prioritize the important things in my life.

You can watch it HERE!

Closing Prayer

Lord, I pray that you help us rejoice in our sufferings knowing that the tribulations we face are so small compared to what your Son Jesus endured. Thank you for the opportunity to endure hard times knowing that we will be made stronger because of it so that we can serve you better. We give you all of the praise, honor, and glory in everything we do.

Amen.

Know others who want to grow in their faith, optimize their health, and live a biblically sound life according to God’s word? Share this and let’s grow His Kingdom!

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