In the world of fitness, we are well-acquainted with the principle of “No Pain, No Gain.” We understand that for a muscle to grow, it must first be broken down. We intentionally subject our bodies to tension, resistance, and fatigue because we know the result on the other side of the struggle is strength. But God wants us to also be transformed by fire. Through that we make Godly gains.
What happens when the physical pain isn’t a choice? What happens when the “resistance” isn’t a dumbbell, but a life-altering diagnosis, a season of suffering, or a physical limitation that threatens to strip away your identity?
I have spent my life in the gym, but my greatest lessons in “gain” didn’t come from my heaviest squat or my time on a bodybuilding stage. They came in 2006, when I was hit with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.
At that moment, it felt like the ultimate “breakdown.” But as I’ve learned through years of navigating this journey with Christ, God is the ultimate Master Trainer. He never wastes a workout, and He never wastes our pain.
I’ve learned through years of navigating this journey with Christ, God is the ultimate Master Trainer. He never wastes a workout, and He never wastes our pain.
THE PURPOSE IN THE PRESSURE
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes about his own “thorn in the flesh.” He pleaded for its removal, but God’s response was transformative: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When I was diagnosed, I had a choice: I could let the pain of MS atrophy my spirit, or I could allow God to use that pressure to build a different kind of strength. Pain is often the “resistance training” of the soul. It forces us to stop relying on our own natural vitality and start tapping into His supernatural power.
For me, the gain wasn’t just physical—though, by God’s grace, I continued to bodybuild and eventually founded the MS Fitness Challenge. The real gain was a refined purpose. God took the very thing meant to stop me and turned it into a platform to reach thousands of others living with MS, showing them that their lives are not over—they are being rebuilt.
FROM BREAKING DOWN TO BUILDING UP
If you are currently in a season of pain—whether it is physical, emotional, or spiritual—remember these three “training” principles:
- Surrender the Weight: In the gym, if you try to lift a weight that is too heavy with poor form, you get injured. In life, if we try to carry our pain without surrendering it to Christ, we break. Hand the weight to the One who can actually carry it.
- Look for the “Hypertrophy” of the Spirit: Physical hypertrophy happens when fibers tear and heal back thicker. God uses the “tears” in our lives to build resilience, empathy, and a deeper faith that cannot be shaken by circumstances.
- Find Your New Personal Best: Your “gain” might not look like it did ten years ago. Perhaps your gain today is the patience you’ve developed, the way you now encourage others, or the intimacy you’ve found in prayer.
THE FINAL SET
The enemy wants to use your pain to bring you to a standstill. He wants you to believe that your limitations define your worth. But God is in the business of restoration. He takes the “broken down” muscles of our lives and rebuilds them into a testimony of His faithfulness.
My MS didn’t take away my fitness; it redefined it. It moved me from a focus on self-glory to a focus on God’s glory. Today, I challenge you: don’t just endure the pain. Invite the Creator into it. Let Him take what was meant for your harm and turn it into a gain that lasts for eternity. -David Lyons
