It takes a certain perspective to embrace and incite struggle, resistance, and suffering. It’s not struggle for struggle sake, like you are paying a penalty. Struggle produces value. Paul said it like this in Romans 5:1-5:
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Hope is the end product, it’s the glory of God and eternal life. The only reason you embrace struggle is because you have vision to become something. You have a desired end that you want more than you want comfort.
Pressure causes weakness to rise to the surface. The things of no value that rise up, rise up to be pruned off. This is part of the pruning process in John 15. This has nothing to do with guilt, shame and condemnation. You have been justified through faith. Your position is secure.
Let’s look at it like this: If you want to lose 30 lbs, every pound you lose is a victory. There is no guilt and shame for becoming who you want to become. You need to lose unwanted fat, because it holds no value. Every ounce of fat lost, is you charging toward your end goal. So you embrace the struggle because of what it produces.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Run in such a way to get the prize. Regardless of the amount of time, energy or obstacles faced, I will reach my end destination!