I remember having to get up every morning before the sun came up. At the first note of Revelry we were out of the bunk, on our feet, in our clothes, and outside ready to do our morning run. I remember wishing the run was shorter. But after a few weeks, it wasn't that bad. In fact after a few months, running that distance seemed almost effortless.This reminds me of a passage from Ephesians
"...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..." (Eph 3:16-20).
The phrase, "able to comprehend" (or "power to comprehend") could refer strictly to the mind, or it could be much more broad. "Comprehend" is translated from the Greek "katalambano" and it can mean to "obtain, make one's own, or overtake, or seize." It is sometimes used of the mind. In other words, to seize with the mind, or to understand. The same word is used in John 1:5 where it says that the darkness did not "overtake" the light.
Looking at the context, this may mean much more than just mental understanding. The passage speaks of being "strengthened with power." It speaks of Him who is able to "do" far more abundantly that we ask or think. This is according to the "power" that works within us. Therefore, we have the power to "overtake" the breadth and length and height and depth both with our mind and with our whole lives.
Think of what this means. When we face a difficulty, God does not remove the difficulty, nor does he make it less. Instead, he strengthens us and makes us equal to the task. God does not shrink the Goliaths in our lives, but strengthens us in our faith. God does not eliminate the burning furnaces of Nebuchadnezzar we face, but protect us from being destroyed in the fire. When there is a cross looming in the distance, God does not remove the cross, but sent angels to strengthen and minister to his beloved Son.
As we follow Christ, God makes us equal to the task. He does not remove the cross that we carry daily, but he strengthens us so that are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask. Consider the list of people God worked through. Moses was an 80 year old guy with a speech impediment. David was a pretty young boy, young and inexperienced. Jonah was a whiner and had problems running away. Samson was stupid and prone to the wiles of women. Amos was a simple shepherd and nothing more. Peter was a fisherman with foot in mouth disease. Paul was contemptible in speech and appearance. And the list goes on and one. God does not call extraordinary people. Instead, God calls ordinary people to believe in an extraordinary God.