Which Hard Will You Choose?

I wish there was a magic pill.

I’d love a simple and straightforward solution to the hard things in life -a  way to by-pass the work and discomfort.

The world is loud with voices offering life hacks and easier roads, selling us on results while glossing over the process. But results are inseparable from the labor that produces them.

The truth is that transformation requires effort. No one else can do your morning workout, make your difficult choices, or prepare you for the future. Only you can do the work.

Recently, while my legs were turning to jelly during strength training, I felt the familiar urge to quit. In that discomfort, I realized there are no shortcuts to strength. No one can build muscle for me, no matter how much I wish they could.

This physical discipline has a direct purpose. When my family and I hike the trails of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, I will either be glad I endured the "jelly legs" of preparation, or I will be sorry I didn't. I cannot tag along on someone else’s endurance. Only I can bear the drudgery now to be prepared for what the trails will demand of me then. If I don't, I will miss out on the very experiences I’m traveling to see.

Either way, there is a form of suffering involved. The choice is which suffering I prefer: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

This principle extends far beyond the gym or the hiking trail.

Nobody can walk your unique journey for you. No one else can nurture your relationship with God, study His word on your behalf, or cultivate deep connections with your family and friends. You are the only one who can choose to show up.

Your path is yours alone. While God has a sovereign plan for each of us, we are called to be active participants—to put in the work, to prepare, and to discover the specific role we were created to fill.

Consider the story of Jesse Cole, the founder of the Savannah Bananas. He has revolutionized baseball as entertainment, but his success didn’t fall into his lap. It was forged through thousands of experiments, the discipline of writing ten new ideas every day, and the grit to sleep on an air bed until his vision took flight. He embraced the "hard" of the unknown because he knew his purpose was worth the discomfort.

Too often, we quit because we fear the pain of the process. We see that the road is steeper than expected and we look for an exit. But suffering is unavoidable. You can suffer through the squats and lunges that build strength, or you can suffer the quiet anguish of a dream left unpursued.

I find myself at a crossroads today.

I have wondered if I should keep pursuing this difficult, unforged path that doesn’t yet seem to be bearing fruit. It would be easy to settle for what I already know how to do. But would it really be easier? To settle for less than what I was made for is its own kind of hardship. I have to ask myself: Which "hard" do I want?

I choose to pursue. I will embrace the discomfort of the unknown and the effort of finding new ways to share God’s message. I am the only one who can make that call.

What about you?

If you are at a similar crossroads, remember that only you can do it. Which "hard" will you choose today?