I recently read a passage of Dr. Wayne Cordeiro's "Attitudes That Attract Success" that resonated within me: "When we reach a certain level of physical, emotional or mental pain, we reach a quitting point and our systems begin to shut down. This quitting point can be the result of past habits, or it may simply be our predetermined tolerance level for problem solving. Whatever the cause, we bail out with predictable consistency at that certain quitting point."
I'm reminded of a time not too long ago when I was in elementary school. For two years, I played the drums. Between the practice sessions at school and home as well as the private lessons, I spent an awful lot of time with the sticks. But what I remember most about that whole experience was the moment I quit.
My private instructor was teaching me how to read sheet music for an entire drum set, which was difficult by itself. I became so frustrated with the challenge and difficulty of perfecting my hand-eye coordination along with the sight reading that I literally pitched a fit in the middle of my lesson and refused to ever play again. Not only do I remember that event, but it's one decision I admittedly regret was ever made.
Life has a way of confronting our notions and concepts unlike anything else. It's so true what they say: "A fool must see his folly before he can become wise." We get so caught up in our routines and comfort zones that when life places in front of us a problem that requires us to stretch ourselves beyond our known limitations, we quit. As soon as something demands a little more focus than we're accustomed to giving, or we're required to exhibit increased discipline in an area that was beforehand unnecessary, we jump ship real quick.
At what point do we become willing to break through our quitting points? At what time do we realize that as long as we keep quitting we're impeding our growth? Better yet, when will we stop committing idolatry? Say what?! That's right! I-D-O-L-A-T-R-Y. We've become so hell-bent on avoiding pain that it has become our god.
(To be continued in Part Two on tomorrow.)
Superhot brotha! The truth has always been that pain or challenge and growth are inseparable. Stretching is a normal part of the growth process. This is even true in nature. Plants stretch upward for growth toward the light. Growth itself means moving into an unfamiliar or new arena. Think about it, every year you turn a new age that you've never seen before. Although a light example, the idea is simple: to grow properly you must push beyond the normal, easy, comfortable, etc. to embrace life in the next growth stage.
ReplyDelete