Some incoherent, profound, but incomplete thoughts.
Strength.. I don't think you can assume you're strong just because you've managed to avoid having to lift any weight. In fact, I might go so far as to say that avoiding resistance makes you weaker.
Arm Wrestling. I never arm wrestle anyone. As long as you think there's a chance I could beat you, I'm cool. I'm good. In your mind, I'm strong enough, if not Herculean. But in reality, (don't tell anybody this) I'm not THAT strong... I just never lose.
Parenting. The parents who never have trouble or conflict or drama with their kids may think that's a sign of their amazing parenting ability. Give yourself a pat on the back and brag to your friends about how great your lousy kids are. But those kids are going to turn out rotten and you will have learned nothing except regret. The exhausted parents who you and I see trying not to lose it at the store or in church because mommy said no, those are the parents who will find the most fulfillment in their calling as a parent and their kids have a much better shot at turning out decent, and in the end the parents will be able to say they tried their hardest and worried infinitely more about their kids than what others would think.
Spiritual Strength. There have been times in my life where I have taken the path of least resistance, feeling like there would be no consequences for my actions or that my lack of action wouldn't have any effect on me because I was strong deep down.
Examples (there are a million) : Some friends are gossiping about another friend and I either said nothing or nothing nice. or I skipped church to go to a baseball game. or I didn't do my home teaching.
I had the idea that I was strong deep down, whether or not that goodness made it to the surface. Often the path of least resistance will lead you places where you will not be able to resist. It will essentially cause spiritual atrophe. Is that building strength? Of course not. Choosing not to do what I know is right is the opposite of building strength. Sometimes the seemingly easier way can be very tempting, and Satan is very good at throwing out smoke screens and blinding us from the real consequences of our choices, but I am confident that walking the straight and narrow (always choosing to do what's right and listening to and obeying the voice of the spirit) will provide PLENTY of resistance to effectively strengthen and tone my spiritual muscles beyond what my secretly weak physical body will show. It seems to me that the straight and narrow is the path of Just-the-right-amount-of Resistance.
Lastly, some thing are black and white, and I am so grateful to our God for very clearly defining some of these things through modern revelation. By clarifying some gray and controversial areas, the path becomes clear, and I am free to walk down it with confidence. Sometimes God has to just shove a sock in Satan's mouth and tell us what's right before we've strayed too far.
I don't think this really relates to anything I've said so far, but I still feel like I should write it down. After getting ticked off at a basketball tournament where for the most part I had a great time, I was driving home with steam coming out of my ears when I had this distinct moment that I doubt I will ever forget (especially now that I'm writing it down) where I could picture Satan laughing his head off at me for giving him so much power. It was a "That was almost TOO easy" kind of laugh. It was like in football where the defense blows their coverage and the quarterback casually tosses it to a wide open receiver, who realizing he is SO WIDE OPEN, totally drops the ball. Well, lucky for me Satan dropped the ball on that one, and I was able to regain control of my emotions. Often a blown play like that results in a shift in momentum. I feel like I learned a little bit more about myself and in the future I will be much better prepared to handle a situation like that.
OK, I'm done. Kind of.
I went to a Brad Paisley Concert.
(We like the same music)
