Excellence is Uncomfortable

Most of us want to be outstanding in whatever we do. But do we have what it takes?

It was 10:30pm on a Thursday. It had been a long day. A long week. The kids were finally asleep and I shuffled into the darkened kitchen to grab that late night, crunchy, salty, take-my-mind-off-things bag. When I flipped the light switch, the sink and counter full of dirty dishes was illuminated. I tossed my head back and let my frustrations reveal themselves in an ugly groan. I angrily turned the light back off and headed to the living room to turn on the TV instead, even though I knew that the same scene would greet me in the morning. But I just wanted a little bit of peace and quiet... 

It’s embarrassing to count how many times I repeated the above scenario. I reacted the same way every time. I never made a plan. I was always winging it. Everything was out of control - my house, my kids, my hair, my bank account, my marriage. I just thought I was being a go-with-the-flow kind of gal when in fact I was in high-stress, reaction mode ALL. THE. TIME. And it was exhausting.

Many years before I became that hot mess mom, I was a beautiful ballerina. As a teenager, I could think of nothing I wanted more than to be outstanding in my art. I spent every afternoon in classes and every weekend at rehearsals. I was passionate about dancing and disciplined my body to be strong and flexible. Of course, I didn’t start out graceful and capable. At age 7, doing plies at the barre seemed a far cry from freely swirling about on a stage wearing full costume. I had to endure the discipline part of the training before the fun of performance became a reality. I had to sweat, withstand sore muscles, fall down, and get blisters on my toes before I could dance with a partner or be given the lead role in Cinderella. 

So it is in life. We must endure training before we can do the bigger things. It often feels unbearably difficult and we give up well before we should. We humans are not always good at doing things that make us uncomfortable. Most people do not meet their goals because of a lack of discipline. 

I’m willing to bet that God knows this about us. He’s familiar with the fact that we get tired, and can easily come up with a myriad of excuses. He puts desires into our hearts, then watches us squirm and turn up our noses at what it will take to bring that desire to fruition. 

Most of what I go after is not ever realized because I don’t actually want it badly enough. I went after dance until it came down to dancing as a career. That was a whole new level of work, and I wasn’t willing to go through the auditions, rejections, bloody feet, and travel. I didn’t want the dream that bad. I was pleased with ballet as long as it didn’t require me to go too far outside of my comfort zone. I wanted a clean kitchen, as long I didn’t have to stay up late, give up TV, and expend too much energy to make it happen. 

CS Lewis wrote, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” 

We are pleased with living a half-hearted life rather than one full of passion and creativity. We are pleased with taking from relationships rather than giving generously and sacrificially. We are pleased, or at least we tolerate, a life that is so-so and comfortable rather than going after one that is amazing yet uncomfortable. But going after what might be uncomfortable is frequently how and when we become who we are truly meant to be. We are too tired/lazy/unwilling to become outstanding at the art of life. 

Becoming who we are meant to be means becoming a woman of character. God puts big things into the hearts of those in whom He sees potential, and character is part of that. If you want to accomplish something significant in your lifetime, it will take character training. The training is uncomfortable. Working out, or learning a new software program, or beginning a new relationship can be thorny and you feel uneasy...at first. But then you get better at it and it becomes rather enjoyable and maybe even easy. Training our character goes through the same process. 

God commanded the first humans to be fruitful and multiply. That stands for us today too. He wants us to produce fruit. In other words, we are told to be productive. We are to thrive by living in a way that honors God. But most of us waste time, we’re constantly distracted, and we are lazy. We are busy but not always fruitful. If we slow down, get rid of interference, and make a plan, we can start to do things with excellence and find that prosperous life God intends for us. We are image-bearers of our King, and we can apply that to every aspect of life. How we keep our homes, how we manage our money, and how we speak to our families are just a few of the areas to be held up to the standard of excellence and fruitfulness God has for us. God did not create us just to survive. But we have to persist through the taxing training. After a long and trying day, the last thing you want to do is clean the kitchen. Yet it is the act of doing so anyway, the following through, exhibiting fortitude by doing the thing you don’t want to do, that ushers God’s presence into your life and transforms your character. He doesn’t leave us on our own either. He provides strength and help along the way. 

This is within our grasp, Friends! We have control over this. God has given us the power and authority to be examples of God here on Earth. Our character should show this. When I walk into my house, His presence goes with me. I belong to Him and I am an example of Him. His Word promises us both suffering AND reward. We must deny ourselves by saying, “I don’t feel like doing this task because it’s uncomfortable, but I will do it anyway because it is the most excellent way!” 

Arduous as it has been, leaning into the excellence of godly character has paradoxically lifted my burdens. His presence in my heart and life has relieved my stress and turned me from reactive to proactive. Denying myself and allowing Him to train me has brought me to a level of fruitfulness I had not thought possible. I’m not perfect, and I’m still on the journey. Join me on this venture by saying, “Lord, I give you my mess and I’m asking you to train me in your ways and transform me into your likeness. I want to be an excellent bearer of your image, to be fruitful in every area of my life, and become who you want me to be.” 

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