Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:26-28
One of the most famous athletes of the ancient world was a wrestler known as Milo of Croton. He won the wrestling competition at the Olympic Games six times. Many writers of the day described his incredible strength that easily allowed him to overwhelm his opponents. The story that Milo told about the source of his strength was that he picked up a calf on the day it was born and carried it on his shoulders. Day after day he did the same thing, growing stronger as the calf grew bigger. It was said that he could lift and carry a full grown bull. Whether or not all the details of that story are correct, Milo is credited as being the father of the technique known as progressive resistance training—using stronger and heavier weights over time to build strength.
There are many things that come into our lives that are difficult or unpleasant. None of them take God by surprise. None of them force Him to revise His plans. God’s plan is to use the circumstances and events of our lives for His glory and our good. When it seems like the weight is pressing down on us, we must remember that we do not face our trials alone or in our own strength. God promised, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).
