A few may have once heard of this principle or idea. They know that the “Sticking Point” is the point in which their obstacle or challenge is the greatest.
In weightlifting this is a prominent idea. The sticking point occurs during a lifting movement and simply put for the purpose of brevity; it is the most difficult point of a movement.
It is the place where the difficulty of a resistance movement is greatly disproportionate to the difficulty of the beginning and end of a movement. For example, while doing bicep curls, this would be the middle of the movement. This is the place in a lift that “makes or breaks” success.
One could possibly think of a sticking point in spectrums. For the curl, the spectrum would be easy, very hard, easy.
This idea has translated well into other arenas of life such as habit making, planning, and business. In fact, economist Jay Abraham, wrote a critically acclaimed book on the topic titled, “The Sticking Point Solution.” In this book he stated the following,
“As soon as you open your mind to doing things differently, the doors of opportunity practically fly off their hinges.”
He offers fascinating insights that I completely agree with but may not be helpful in some arenas. Case in point- Weightlifting. The sticking point will be there regardless, and the only solution is to get stronger and get past it to the easier stage in the movement.
Often, this is how the spiritual life of a Christian works. Innovation unlikely will hinder persecution. It must be endured. Innovation will not make God answer your prayers faster, endurance sees God timing through.
Biblical proof of this concept can be found within Paul’s early epistles to the Thessalonians. In Thessalonians 1:4-5 Paul writes,
“So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.”
My heart breaks for the Thessalonian people within this passage. They were under severe persecution, not by a government entity, but their own fellow citizens. Being a young Gentile church, they suffered the wrath of Jewish citizens within Thessalonica which spurred from Paul’s promotion of the Gospel (Acts 17).
So, what were they to do? Innovate and adapt the Gospel to match the Jew’s belief? Water down their belief in hopes that they would somehow magically coexist?
Surely not! They had to push through the sticking point with patience and faith. Paul encourages the Thessalonians by sharing that their endurance is evidence that reflects the Spirit within them. Innovation could not save them, only God’s power which equipped them to endure.
A characteristic of the Christian is the profound ability to be able to “glory in tribulations.” Christians live in the paradigm of God’s reality. Troubles that are intended to break humanity, God redirects to build the Spiritual muscles of those that love Him, in this case: Patience, experience, and hope (Romans 5:3-5; Romans 8:28).
Whatever is tasking you and wherever you are in this Spiritual workout that we call life. Endure. Keep pressing past your sticking point, building up until you have ascertained the prize of this high calling in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). The end of this lift and humanly spectrum is the reward of eternity with God.
Love this!