The Hard Stuff

In his September 1962 address at Rice University, President Kennedy announced the ramping up of the nation's space program with plans to put a man on the moon. The most memorable phrase from that 17+ minute address noted that we choose to go to the moon and do other difficult tasks, "not only because they are easy, but because they are hard."

It's been almost 50 years since that speech, and our culture has changed to the point that we would rather cast off the hard things in favor of the easy. We especially see this in young adults who want today what it took their parents 30 years to gain.

The byproduct is huge consumer debt, an entitlement culture and an aversion to the difficult things in life.

Sadly, this has also impacted the Christian church in America. Too often we will turn a blind eye to the needs of our communities and our world, because we recognize the challenge is hard...to hard for one person.

Helen Keller once said, "I’m only one, but still, I am one. I can not do everything, but I can do something. Because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do that something that I can do.”

In my life, I am realizing that constantly fixing the easy problems is only temporarily fulfilling. It is the hard challenges that shape my character. It is the hard things that are truly rewarding.

Recently, I have made a personal decision to not just settle for the "easy." Instead, I can really impact my world if I am willing to tackle the hard stuff -- the stuff no one else wants to touch.

How about you? What is the one or two challenges God is presenting to you? What is it that the Almighty has determined is your cause to fight -- your challenge to conquer?