Get ready for a quick but powerful boost to your day with Pastor Chuck Allen in this weekday podcast from Sugar Hill Church. Whether you're on the go or taking a moment to pause, Pastor Chuck dives into how we can strengthen our faith just like we strengthen our bodies. In this episode, he reminds us that building our spiritual muscles takes intentionality—through gratitude, diving into God's Word, and surrounding ourselves with faith-filled friends. It's not about perfection, but progress, one small step at a time. Tune in for some practical encouragement that can help you live with more purpose and faith today!
Welcome to the weekday podcast of Sugar Hill Church, where we desire to help you know God and discover your purpose. Whether you're exercising, driving, meditating, or just hanging out while you tune in with us today, thanks. We hope these next five minutes help you feel encouraged and inspired for your day.
Hi everybody, Pastor Chuck Allen back with another weekday podcast. You know what I've realized? That we need to get in the gym. And don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about that kind of gym because clearly I'm not in it.
But I do have to get back into that kind of gym too. I'm talking about your faith gym. We often walk, run, exercise, do many things, try to eat right, try to take the right vitamins, et cetera.
But we forget that our faith muscles need to be built up as well. Well, when we begin to understand that, we begin to understand that often we say we have faith, but very often we struggle with trying to exercise it. It's just like our physical muscles.
Our faith needs regular exercise to grow strong. So today let's talk about how we can build our faith muscles. First, I want to encourage you, like I mentioned last Sunday, practice gratitude daily.
Now, to practice gratitude doesn't mean you think about it, it means that you literally tangibly write it. Every study that's ever been done, whether it's secular or whether it's spiritual, come to the same conclusion. There's something powerful in our brain and in our soul when we physically handwrite what we're grateful for.
When we focus on what we're thankful for, it's hard to hold on to bitterness and discontentment. As a matter of fact, the brain literally can't do both at the same time. So make it a habit to thank God for three things every morning.
You'll be amazed at how this simple practice strengthens your faith. I use it in my counseling all the time. I use it in my personal life every day, and I try my best to be a full-blown gratitude ambassador because I know what it's done for my attitude and I know what it's done for my spiritual progression.
Practice gratitude. Second, get into God's Word. The Bible isn't just a book.
It is spiritual nourishment. If you're struggling to understand the Bible, don't give up. Use resources like commentaries.
As a matter of fact, my favorite that I tell people is use the preacher's commentary. It sounds like, well, wow, that might be deep. I found it to be the most simplistic commentary out there.
Just Google preacher's commentary. It's super effective and cheap. If you go to lifebible.com, you can literally on your iPad computer or even on your phone see side by side the scripture and whatever kind of version you want and the preacher's commentary right next door to it, and you can just read along.
It's amazing how simple it is. Get into God's Word, friend. Remember, Psalm 119, 105 says your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Just taking about five to ten minutes a day to get into God's Word and let it seep into your soul. Remember, it's like a spiritual probiotic that's alive and at work inside of you. When the scriptures talk about the Word being a lamp, it's like in the ancient days in the Middle East, they would fill these little clay pots that could fit in the palm of your hand and it looked like a miniature genie lamp.
They put just a little bit of cord in there that was a wick, fill it with olive oil, and they would light it and they would hold it to help guide their steps because remember, no lights, no electricity, all they had were stars. Well, anywhere you walk across the Middle East is filled with rocks without having something to guide your step. And remember, they didn't have boots, so it was a challenge.
So you can imagine, the scriptures are saying of themselves, don't stumble through life. Get the Word in you so it'll shine light on where you need to walk. And then third, surround yourself with faith-filled friends.
Proverbs 27 says, as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. When we openly discuss our faith journey with other people, when we do that, when we openly speak on the things of God, we encourage each other to grow together. Now, some of you might be thinking, but Chuck, I'm not sure I can do this.
Well, let me give you an encouragement. You really can. God didn't create you to fail. He created you to thrive in relationship with Him. Remember, faith isn't about perfection. It's about progress.
Every small step you take toward God is a victory, friend. So start exercising those faith muscles. Get into the faith gym today. And before you know it, you'll be amazed at how much stronger your faith has become. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast.
