It’s often counter-intuitive, but stress is one of God’s key paths to growth in godly relationships, strength, and, yes, even joy,  May the following music videos and related Scriptures help to equip and encourage you to follow Jesus by faith in Him, wherever He has you today.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever would save his life^[g] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3‭-‬5)

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:8‭-‬9)

For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:37‭-‬38)

“Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:39‭-‬40)

“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.” (Job 5:17‭-‬18)

God’s Word is filled with similar images of physical fitness that communicate spiritual principles of fitness: running the good race, boxing the air, eating well, resting, etc.

Through another weekly series, “W.A.I.T. Training” in “Workout Wednesdays”, I will outline specific practical ways that you can use physical exercise to strengthen your spirit and your relationships in the Body of Christ. The program introduced below addresses 24 physical pictures of spiritual principles through a variety of supports:  training videos, devotional thoughts, Christian music videos, 8×10 color posters, free t-shirt designs, and more can be used for your personal devotions or small group Bible studies.

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