😟 The truth about troubles

📣 Plus, training and nutrition news plus tips to help you navigate faith and culture

Author

Will Knecht
October 26, 2024

Good morning, friend! You’ve heard the saying, “Good times create bad men. Bad times great good men.” We’ve certainly witnessed the truth of this axiom over the last few years (actually, all recorded history). As Christian men, we understand our natural, fallen tendencies are to be selfish, indulgent and arrogant. God knows us well. He’s been dealing with guys like us for quite some time. Guys who’ve put their faith in Christ. Guys who want to be more like Christ. Guys that give in to temptation, fall back into our old bad habits and feel like there’s no hope for us. God has a plan and He knows how to make Christ-like men out of guys like you and me. Today, we explore an essential part of that process. Let’s go!

MIND SET
The truth about troubles

Have you ever wondered, “If Jesus saved me, why do I still struggle so much?” Or “Where are you, God? I can’t take this life anymore?” These are vital questions that could make or break your experience as a Christian man.

Perception versus reality

Let's start with a World War II story, because guys like us appreciate military history.

In 1944, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda, an intelligence officer with the Imperial Japanese Army, was sent to the Philippine island of Lubang. His commanding officer, Major Taniguchi, ordered him to stay, fight, and never surrender until relieved of duty. Lt. Onoda accepted the order and took up a defensive position in a nearby cave.

When Japan surrendered in September 1945, the news never reached Onoda. He continued living in his cave, believing the war still raged, until 1974 - nearly 30 years after the war ended. Only when the Japanese government located Major Taniguchi and sent him to relieve Onoda did the lieutenant finally emerge from his self-imposed exile.

Truth, not feelings

Many Christian men live like Hiroo Onoda. We intellectually acknowledge Christ’s victory at the cross and His triumph over sin and death. Yet we continue fighting and hiding in jungles of our making, so preoccupied with the forest that we fail to see the victory lying just beyond the trees.

Men, the battle for your souls has been won! On the cross, Christ paid for our sins - all of them - and defeated our enemy. His resurrection proves that victory.

You might intellectually agree but still wonder why you sometimes feel defeated. Here's the key: Jesus never said every day would feel like victory. It's not about feelings, though they're real. It's about Truth, the ultimate reality. Jesus actually told us we will have trouble in this world.

Troubles that teach and transform

Consider what Jesus said to his friends at the Last Supper:

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Yes, we face troubles with health, finances, relationships, and temptation. Jesus knew the troubles ahead when He spoke these words - betrayal, arrest, torture, and execution. But trouble wasn't His preoccupation. He knew it was temporary and necessary for something infinitely better.

Trouble is a teacher, not a punisher. Jesus transforms your sufferings from mere survival into preparation for His eternal purpose. He allows pain and despair to make you more the man He created you to be, just as He allowed His own Son to face the cross for mankind's redemption.

Living in victory

Here's your challenge this week: embrace your troubles differently. Stop playing the victim or running from God. Accept struggles as opportunities for growth and deeper intimacy with God. Let Him use your pain to shape you into someone who reflects Jesus to a world that desperately needs Him.

Follow these steps to live in victory this week:

  1. Read Philippians 3:1-11 and ask God for a deeper hunger to know Christ

  2. Meditate on Hebrews 12:1-11 and seek purpose in your troubles

  3. Surrender your pain to God, asking for His supernatural peace

  4. Worship as you listen to the song “Shoulders” by King & Country 

  5. Repeat these steps when troubles return

Remember: struggle, pain, and despair are real, but they aren't the ultimate reality for Christian men. We don't have to be consumed by them. Instead, let them teach us and transform us into His image.

Would you help us improve the quality of our content and service by taking a two-question survey?

Thank you for your time and for helping us help you be “you … better”.

THIS JUST IN
📣 NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB 📣 

Note that our providing these links does not constitute an endorsement of the writer’s or publisher’s perspective. We try to filter out propaganda but sometimes good information is laced with bias. As with everything you read and watch, process with a critical perspective.

Training

Can’t get to the gym during the week? In a one-week U.K. study of 90,000 people (average age = 62), all participants wore accelerometers to track their movement. They were divided into three groups: 1) those who exercised less than 150 minutes, 2) those that exercised more than 150 minutes weekdays and 3) those that exercised more than 150 minutes on the weekends. Turns out, from a cardiovascular perspective, the weekend group enjoyed the same overall health benefits (specifically prevention of chronic disease and inflammation) as those that exercised during the week. Take-away? Invest 150 minutes in some form of exercise weekly. Courtesy MedicalNews Today

Just finished a set of squats and ready to flatten your backside on a nearby bench to rest before the next set? Not so fast! Turns out that one of the best times to help your body recover from resistance training is immediately after you finish. This recuperation strategy is called “Active Recovery” and mild movement to keep your muscles warm and circulate lactic acid out of your stressed muscles. Weaving active recovery techniques into your fitness regime can help reduce soreness and accelerate progress. Courtesy National Association of Sports Medicine

Nutrition

Does eating sweets make you sad? In another U.K. project, researchers surveyed the dietary preferences of 180,000 participants, drew blood samples from each and then compared the amounts of 2,923 proteins and 168 metabolites in each. They found that participants that prefer sweet foods and sugary drinks and were less interested in fruit and vegetables are 31% more likely to have depression. Might want to remember that next time the share-sized bag of Sour Patch Kids calls to you while checking out at the grocery store. Courtesy ScienceDaily

Culture

There is a story in the Gospel of Matthew about Jesus retreating to the wilderness in advance of the start of his public ministry. The record says He was led there to be “tempted by the devil” for 40 days … while fasting! Then, as now, the devil waits around every corner to trip us up with temptation and, for men, pornography is one of his most effective traps. As with all temptations, Satan takes something God made for good and corrupts it into something gross that poisons our minds. But, as with all temptations and sinful habits, there is freedom in Christ. Here is a four-step plan you can follow to climb out of the crater and enjoy the renewed mind and passions God designed for you. Courtesy RELEVANT Media Group

Reading

In keeping with this week’s theme about learning from troubles, Pilgrim’s Progress is not only a literary classic, it is THE classic Christian life fiction story. Written by John Bunyan in 1678, Pilgrim's Progress tells the story of an “everyman” character named Christian who is on a journey from his hometown, the City of Destruction”, to a heavenly destination, the “Celestial City”. He makes friends and enemies, discovers traps and cool stuff and takes the reader along for the ride. You can get a free PDF version or, if you prefer a tactile, non-digital experience, you can buy a paperback. Pilgrim's Progress is required reading for any man who aspires to intelligent, capable biblical manhood.

Thanks for joining us for our tenth issue and stay tuned for MTM issue eleventh next Saturday morning.

If you found value in what we shared, please share More The Man with family and friends and help us build a community of exceptional men that includes YOU.

Questions? Send a note to Will.

Reply

or to participate.