“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

“This leg is my tight leg, that’s why this is so hard,” chattered my six-year-old daughter. She was in a circle of fifteen other pint-sized aspiring gymnasts, attempting to do a split.

“My mom says I grew really fast all of a sudden and that’s why I’m so tight. I’ll be better on the other leg.” On and on her narrating went, as I watched from the mother’s gallery.

Come on, Jessa, you can do this. You need to stretch if you ever want to do the more exciting stunts. Quit complaining and get on with it.

Unfortunately, Jessa was discovering that stretching takes time. According to exercise physiologists, you have to hold a stretch for 20-30 seconds before any change takes place in the muscle. While painful for a short while, it pays off in the end. A few minutes of daily stretching improves the body’s performance dramatically.

While we may not all stretch in order to perfect a split, the Bible says we are all stretched in spiritual ways. Our stretch may come in the form of a difficult child, situation at work, or struggle within, but one way or another, it comes. And it seems to stay for awhile.

The good news is, God calls these stretches, or troubles, “light and momentary.” Not because they’re easy, but because He can see them in proportion to the reward we will receive.

Our perspective on earth is limited. The way we see it, our spiritual stretches seem like the gymnastic stretches did to Jessa—unbearable and pointless. However, from God’s perspective in heaven, they are our ticket to much greater things.

Take a moment today and identify the stretch that you’ve been asked to endure. Rather than succumbing to the temptation to complain and give up—get on with it. After all, who knows what exciting stunts God may have waiting.

Heather Kindel is married to her college sweetheart, Curt, and has two beautiful daughters, Jessa and Maura. She received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Saint Francis University and currently works part time there as an adjunct instructor in the physical therapy program. Heather enjoys spending time with her family, building relationships, reading, cross stitching, scrapbooking, sewing, and writing. Her passion is helping her daughters and others see God in the ordinary moments of life. Read Heather’s devotions