Why can't more Christians be like Rocky?

     I have been wrestling lately with the concept of spiritual toughness.  I recently read in 1 Corinthians 9 (the Message) "Our decision all along has been to put up with anything rather than to get in the way or detract from the Message of Christ."  I had to ask myself a tough question, "Am I really willing to endure "anything" for the Message of Christ.
     I am a huge fan of the Apostle Paul he was like Rocky in his day.  When Rocky says, "It isn't about how hard you can hit, but about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward,"  I think it is a great description of Paul's life.  Paul endured being thrown in jail, sleeplessness nights, hunger, shipwrecks, being betrayed by close friends and being physically assaulted multiple times, once to the point he was left for dead.
     If I had to go through what Paul went through I am afraid I would have given up really quickly.  I may look tough but I think I would have tapped out.  Because sometimes I am tempted to live under this false premise that all God cares about is me being "good," and if I am good enough he will make me happy.  My definition of happiness basically looks like a stress free life, a life free of opposition and frustration.
     When I encounter opposition and frustration I am tempted to think that I am not doing something right, and  that something needs to change.  But you know as well as I do that Rocky was right when he said "life isn't all sunshine and rainbows."  If I am really honest, I still struggle with this assumption that if I follow Christ close enough and long enough I will achieve this place of a stress-free utopia.
     When I look at the life of Paul I see the exact opposite.  The longer and harder he served Christ the more opposition he encountered.  What is Paul's response?  He is just like Rocky, after every hit he keeps getting back up and moves forward.  Look at what he says "I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line.  I'm giving it everything I've got.  No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition.  I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself."
     I leave you with these questions to ponder:
       When you encounter opposition does it cause you to rely more on God or just sit and pout?
       What are some ways that we can develop this "Spiritual toughness" in our lives?