I recently heard an interview with a former Navy SEAL that included a great truth.
He said, "The more we sweat in peace time the less we bleed in war time." THAT is a piece of pure gold!
He was talking about paying the price tags of intensely hard discipline, work, strain, effort, and self sacrifice being paid during times of peace so that they would be mentally and physically prepared to win in times of war.
That is also true in the spiritual world. If one does not discipline themselves by prayer, study of God's Word, denying sinful desires, fasting, praying for the sick, sharing our faith, and making ones self do things beneficial for others while in relatively safe times it will normally result in a person crumbling and failing when an actual spiritual battle happens.
The failure comes not because of lack of desire for the right. The failure happens because there was not sufficient mental discipline and commitment to push hard when there was not an actual battle happening. We will only succeed to the level we have disciplined ourselves to prepare for.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:3
