Whoever Told You That Life is Easy Lied
My best friend, Brittany Hammond (you need to follow her, so click here), sent me a YouTube video from a coach at Duke University that gave me the push that I needed to put some things that I have going on into perspective. The coach, I assume, was speaking to her players. The topic was about doing hard things. In sum, she wanted to drive home that nothing we do in life will be easy. No matter what we do or how much we practice, something else will come along that also won’t be easy. We may win races and pass tests, but that doesn’t mean the road to get there was easy. We often forget what it was like to prepare for the hard things.
Sometimes, we say things such as, “I can’t wait until tomorrow” or “I can’t wait until next year when I…,” hoping that things will get better or easier. It may be true that things will improve for you, but it may never become easier. The easy road also is not necessarily the better road for you. The straightforward job, boyfriend, and marriage may not be what is truly in store for you. A boss of mine used to say if it is good for you, it won’t be easy for you to attain. The road less traveled is the one great leaders take. It is lonely. It is filled with hard choices, but it is the one that leads to success.
Speaking of tough times, I remember thinking that if I could just get to my follow on assignment, then I know everything would be easier for me. I had this same thought for the first ten years of my career. Let me tell you something, as I am approaching year sixteem, nothing became easier. In fact, as I began to “climb the ladder”, things became significantly more difficult. It is not easy to lead multiple personalities, cultures, races, ethinicities, and genders who all have different wants and needs not based on their outward differences. It isn’t easy to receive honst feedback about your leaderhisp style from others. It isn’t always easy to have tact. It isn’t easy to drink water, eat three meals, exercise, practice self care, and set boundaries. Life isn’t easy and we need to stop selling this story to people who look to us for advice. I keep hearing people say “life isn’t supposed to be this hard,” but who said that? who told you that life wasn’t going to be hard? Who sold you this lie? You need to get your money back!
In John 16, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and foreshadows his death, knowing that his disciples, being human, may worry about what may happen when He is no longer physically with them. The verse reads,
“I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world”
– John 16: 32.
I like this verse becasue I am reminded that Jesus told the disciples that trouble will come to them. However, though there will be trouble, puting faith in Jesus will help them conquer the hard times.
I use John 16:32 in my own life to remember that no matter what trouble comes my way, because it will, Jesus has my back as long as I believe in Him and his ability to conquer all. I know life is hard. I know hard times will continue to surface but I also know Holy Spirit is here to keep my head above water. I know that my faith in God is my floatation device that keeps me from drowning. I know life is hard, but with Jesus I can continue traveling along the road less traveled.
