I was at the leg press in our local gym. My dad stood next to me, encouraging. “One more! You can do it!” I was about to leave for my beach wedding, and I was determined to be beach-ready.

But I was convinced I could not do “one more”  (and also that my dad was evil for telling me to). It felt like, at any moment, my knee might just tear free under the weight. I knew I couldn’t do it. I knew I wasn’t strong enough. I didn’t want to wimp out, so I pushed… one… last… slow time, knowing I wouldn’t be able to push the press to the top.

But I was wrong. I couldn’t walk for a few days, but every shuffling step I took reminded me that, by golly, I conquered that press.

It dawned on me today that those last moments of exertion, when you’re giving up your very last bit of strength, are the moments that really count the most. When it hurts, when you feel you might tear apart, when you think you’ve got no more to give… That’s when you know you’re growing. Muscle has to tear apart to increase in size.

You’re stronger than you think. You can bear more than you give yourself credit for. And maybe, just maybe, there’s Someone beside you saying, “Push through this; you can do it!” You might think He’s evil for allowing you to hurt so much, but He knows sometimes we have to tear in order to grow.