Stretch yourself!

At "Do Hard Things" Brett Harris was talking to us about doing things that are hard for US! He gave an example of a 20-year-old and a 10-year-old lifting weights together. But they were both lifting a ten pound weight. The older one was pumping it out, no sweat, but the 10 year got tired quicker. It was hard for the 10-year-old.

He made two points on this: Battling discouragement and battling complacency.

Battling Discouragement:
Like the 10-year-old lifting weights, don't get discouraged because lifting a 10 pound weight is a little difficult. keep at it, because your muscles will get stronger, it will get easier, and soon you will be lifting things way heavier.

It may be a subject you struggle with. For me, it's Math. I just don't get Math! I really struggle to grasp the concepts. I will sometimes look at others and think, "Oh, it comes easy for them. I guess I just don't have the capability to know math like they do. My mind just doesn't work that way." NO! I can't make excuses. I have to work that part of my brain and study hard to stretch my mind so that it won't be so hard later on. I'm taking Statistics at Vol State this semester and I'm nervous, because like I told you, I'm not very good at Math, but I'm determined not to be discouraged and make excuses for myself. God gave me this brain, and I'm sure that He didn't make it where I would never understand Math. I will just have to work harder than others might have to.

Remember that God made you just how you are, but He also doesn't want you to be a quitter. So, find something that you struggle with, and determine to make it a priority to work extra hard on just that!

Battling Complacency:
Like the 20-year-old weight lifter, we shouldn't feel good about ourselves when we do JUST ENOUGH to get by. Sometime we might look around and see that everyone else is struggling, but we aren't cause it's easy for us....the Lord isn't satisfied with that! He wants us to give our 100% best no matter what, and He also wouldn't want us to act superior cause we are good at something that is easy for us!

It's like a 6' tall dude jumping and touching an 8ft tall ceiling. And then a little 5'2'' tall dude tries to touch the ceiling but can't quite make it. The tall guy shouldn't think he's something cause he could touch it without barely jumping. He has his height working for him, so he was barely trying. But the shorter guy was trying with all he had and almost made it. At least he was giving his full potential. He conquered way more than the tall guy!

If something is easy for you, don't slack off and do enough to get by! Work at whatever it is you are naturally good at! You might just surprise yourself with what you can accomplish if you truly apply yourself!

Stretch yourself, mentally, spiritually, and even physically. The Lord will bless your efforts. Things that were once hard for you, will become easier. And things that were easy for you in the first place could become incredible strengths!