Strong Enough

There is an old rule of thumb in the world of weightlifting that states "if you can front squat it for 3, you can clean and jerk it." Of course, this is just a rule of thumb, and will vary from lifter to lifter depending on how efficiently they lift. I even know a few folks whose max front squat and max clean are the same. More often than not though, it is the other way around, especially in newer and less confident lifters. What I tend to see out of them is a 3RM front squat that far exceeds their max clean, and even further exceeds their max clean and jerk. So why is this?

The issue is not their strength, but rather their confidence in their strength. If they would simply trust that they are strong enough to stand it up if they would just drop under it, they would likely clean it no problem. Because of their fundamental lack of trust, which is rooted in fear, they don't drop under, and attempt to muscle it up by over-pulling. In many cases, all they need to do is put a little more faith into their legs, and let the rest work itself out.

Though I got over that fear long ago, there is another area of my life where I continue to lack faith from time to time. In placing my trust in Christ, I have made a declaration that His blood and His cross were powerful enough to cover the cost of the sins I have committed. What I have a harder time believing is that that same blood and cross are strong enough to break the chains of current sins. For me personally (and many others, I'm sure), one of the main ways this manifests itself is through addiction.

Let's face it- we're all addicted to something. For each of us it may be something different- alcohol, drugs, an adrenaline rush, acquisition of trinkets and toys, money, food, lovers, and any number of other things that brings us temporary satisfaction. But as we all know, in time the "high" that our idol brings us slowly starts to fade, leading to an ever increasing pursuit of an ever fleeting joy. Addiction is simply misplaced worship; attributing ultimate value to something that will ultimately fail you. So often, it starts by dipping your toe in the whirlpool, and before you know it you are spiraling downward, doing everything you can just to keep your head above water. Try as you might, you just can't seem to make your way back to shore. This leads to shame, depression, anxiety, and a feeling of being trapped.

In the midst of the darkness, it is easy to start believing that "this is just how it is now" and that "there's no way out." Satan, in his craftiness, wants us to believe that this is the truth, and to resign ourselves to the trappings of addiction. We must be quick to remember that the cross was not just strong enough to wash away our former sins, but to save us out of our current entanglements. We must cling to the promise that "our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin" (Romans 6:6).  We must hope in his declaration that "if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you" (Romans 8:11). We must believe his promise that "the grace of God... teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age... while we wait for... Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14). 

The God who created the heavens and the earth is powerful enough to save us out of whatever addiction we may find ourselves in. "Surely the arm of the Lord is not to short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1). He is good, he cares deeply for his people, and he is strong enough. We simply need to place our confidence in His strength.

Listen to how David calls out to the Lord in his time of need (excerpt from Psalm 18):

I love you, O Lord, my strength

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of destruction assailed me;

the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple, he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters.

He rescued me from my strong enemy

and from those who hated me,

for they were too mighty for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

but the Lord was my support. 

He brought me out into a broad place;

he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

For you save a humble people,

but the haughty eyes you bring down.

For it is you who light my lamp;

the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

For by you I can run against a troop,

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

This God- his way is perfect;

the word of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?-

the god who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless.

He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights.

For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,

and sing to your name.

Blessings