Dumbells, Brokenness, and Other Victories

I am part of a fitness group that meets twice a week for an intense, whole-body workout which includes 45 minutes of strength training.  Often I am sore for two to three days afterwards.  But the result is that I have gotten noticeably stronger!   Here are some facts about training and getting stronger (don't skip this part!):
"Hard exercise damages muscle fibers. Then other cells release chemicals called cytokines that cause inflammation characterized by soreness (pain), increased blood flow to the injured fibers (redness), and increased flow of fluid into the damaged area (swelling). The damaged muscle cells release tissue growth factors to heal the damaged muscle fibers, and if the athlete allows the muscle soreness to disappear before exercising intensely again, muscle fibers become larger and increase in number by splitting to form new fibers." (drmirkin.com) 

Why am I talking about strength training on a spiritual blog?  I believe that physical principles of the natural world are glimpses into spiritual truths.  In that vein, let me rephrase the above passage about muscles to address our spiritual strength and the process of maintaining victory in our lives...
Life is hard and leaves us damaged.  God highlights the broken part of us with pain, Jesus increases His redemptive bloodflow in us to the injured part, and Holy Spirit washes that part in His Living Water, until we are full up swollen with Him.  The damaged fiber of our being responds by growing as He heals us.  We then take time to rest in Him, allowing Him to solidify and multiply His strength cells in us.  

Another thing: I cannot expect that one really good workout will make me strong forever.  No way!  I have to be at it faithfully to not only grow stronger, but even to maintain my current strength!  Same is true of my spiritual life: though I cannot earn my place in Christ's victory, there is an element of faithful, repetitious application of His paid-for work in my area of weakness.  I think there is a process here:  I come against opposition, activating Christ's victory in my life, but realize that I am a broken human, so I receive His covering and healing flow, which works His deeper strength in me as I hide in Him; I then faithfully activate again the next time I am confronted with the stressor.  And thus the cycle continues, as the tissue of Me is continually broken down, soaked in Him, and restored more in His likeness again and again and again...becoming stronger with each repetition.

Activate!  Feel the burn of the brokenness!  Surrender to the flow of Blood and Water!  Let Him build you as you rest!  Do it again!  
Bliss to you, victorious one!
Sarah