Does it ever get easier?
In the early 2000's, I have had the privilege of coaching an amazing high school dance team. At times, the practices were grueling, long, and tiresome. At the time, it was hard to imagine that all the hard work would be worth it. The first few competitions we did pretty poorly. It was hard and frustrating. But once the girls saw how disciplined and skilled the other teams were, they saw that another level was possible. It was exactly the fuel they needed. It turns out, loss is actually a pretty good motivator.
There wasn't going to be such thing as an “Easy Road” to victory. Because I loved them and believed in them, I had be truthful... "I hate to tell you this," I said but if you want to win, it's not going to get easier from here." They cringed at those words, but they eventually began to understand. It wasn't long before they saw major improvements in themselves. They became addicted to getting better, and eventually they wanted to work harder. They were willing to do what they needed to do get better. They wanted that trophy.
There was no scenario where winning was going to come without sacrifice. Winning takes dedication, passion, and perseverance and hard work. In the end, the sweet taste of victory and holding the trophy made it all worth it. They ended up winning 2nd place in our conference and top 10 in the state. It was beyond what they even thought possible. For our little team, it was a big deal!
I didn't just tell you that story to be cute- there's a lesson for all of us in there. I know that within you are dreams, passions, desires and goals. And sometimes the road ahead looks daunting, and when you're tired, it's tempting to just sit back and take whatever comes your way. I hate to tell you this, but there's no short cut to reaching your dreams; anything worth having won't come easily. And if anyone tells you differently- they're probably just trying get something out of you. Don't fall for it.
Proverbs 13:18 “Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.”
The word discipline send shivers right down my spine, simply because I know that along with discipline comes pain. And I don't know about you, but I HATE pain. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. Very few of us will choose pain if we have another option, unless we're some kind of glutton for punishment. But the truth is, there's no such thing as a pain free life. For me, I had to choose to re-frame pain for myself. Pain is really un-fun (at least temporarily). But if you're open to the learning the lessons that come with it, it can truly be your greatest teacher.
Here's the truth: no one is coming to rescue you from yourself. No Fairy-God mother is coming to grant your wishes. YOU are the driving force behind your life. What you allow or disallow, what you'll sacrifice or hold onto... you get to pick. We can choose to either endure the pain of discipline and hard work to achieve something great, or the pain of losing out because we weren't patient enough or didn't work hard enough. Pick your pain.
No matter which road we choose in life, there's going to be a "hard." But there's a path that leads to hope and there's a path that leads to despair. When you're given the chance, you can't go wrong choosing hope and/or legacy. Think "what will I be glad I did later on?" Or as Andy Stanley says, “Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most."
I'll use my kids as my final example. At ages 5 & 6, they still hadn't quite mastered the whole concept of doing things “right” the first time. The other night, I asked them to clean up their room while I vacuumed the hallway. MUCH to my excitement, when I finished vacuuming, I went in their room and shockingly, it looked AMAZING! But after a closer look, I noticed something sticking out from underneath their bed... and wouldn’t you believe it, but HALF of their room seemingly fit underneath each girls’ bed. I wasn’t sure if I was more shocked that all those items fit under the bed, or that they thought it was ok to lie and take the easy road out of doing their chores! Being the meanie mom I am, I made them do it all over again... the RIGHT way. I reminded them that if they had disciplined themselves in the first place, the hard work would have only had to be done ONCE, and they could already be enjoying themselves.
Aren’t we the same way sometimes? How many of us have been guilty of trying to take the easy road, and found out that it was actually much harder than the disciplined road? Living selfishly & lazily in the short term actually doesn't benefit us the way we think it does... it ends up being double the work and the benefits get awarded to the people who've chosen to live with discipline.
Proverbs 13 is an incredible reminder that living with discipline is about legacy. Our choices affect more than just ourselves. Hard work and discipline benefits us but it's more than that; it ends up blessing the people in our lives for the long term. And truly, what’s more important than that?
“Proverbs 13:22 –A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
I want to leave a legacy that others can benefit from, and even more importantly, I want my kids to lead a life that follows the same pattern. My challenge for you today is to choose between what you want now and what you want most, because unfortunately it doesn't get easier no matter which path you take.
On the surface those words might feel hard to hear, but I am telling you the truth because I LOVE you and I want you to succeed, and so does your Heavenly Father. I want to encourage you today to KEEP GOING. I know it's a hard world out there. I know it seems like you'll never reach the end. I know there are days you can't imagine the end in sight. But don't quit. Don't you dare do it. There's a lot at stake... your joy, your mission, your dreams, your future, and your family's future too. You GOT this. I believe in you. God believes in you. He's got you. Get back up- and try again. HUGS!
XOXO- Natalie
