Faith as a Muscle

"If it don't kill ya, it just makes you stronger."
"The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow."
The letter of James even describes difficult times as times of joy because they test our faith and thereby make it stronger.
Faith is like any other muscle: if you don't use it it gets weaker. If you use your muscles regularly, and challenge them by adding weights or running/walking/cycling/swimming faster, your muscles will get stronger. They will be sore. You will be tired. But your body will only get stronger.
It's the same way with faith. If you challenge it by dealing with struggles in your life and accepting them, your faith will grow stronger. I know it's a stretch but what if God gave us those struggles to help us exercise our faith? To help our faith grow stronger?
We can't see that in the moment. When we feel discouraged, stressed, downtrodden, worried, exhausted. In that moment we can only hold on and try to keep going. But looking back we realize how much we have learned during that time, and how God has carried us through.
I've experienced that and I've heard people tell me about their own experiences.
Just like working out your body, it takes effort, and determination, and practice.
It also takes a certain openness to want to see God in all of it. God is not one to force Godself on us. God offers us unconditional love and unlimited grace. But we will only receive that if we are willing to let God in. Which also requires effort, and determination, and practice.
But oh, how good it feels when you realize how strong you are. How strong God is.