please don't

Please don’t think the journey of any accomplishment is easy. If you sit down with any person who has achieved success in their life, you will always learn it came with some kind of sacrifice. And most likely some tough learning lessons too.

Martial arts belts are earned through time and effort

In my life experience, I’ve earned a 2nd degree black belt in Aikido and brown belt level in Taekwondo. Most, if not all, of us understand what it means to earn a martial arts belt. Even if we haven’t earned one ourselves, we know intuitively there is an investment of time and effort. And it shows up in the form of a colored belt.

Whenever I think about the time and effort we put into our spiritual walk, I remember this statement from Jesus:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

Matthew 7:15-20, NASB.

Spirituality is not about what you earn, it’s about what you produce. Specifically, the fruits we want to produce should help others grow deeper in their spiritual walk. And that’s what the pic of the recovery chips signify—they signify my growth in recovery. I have purposely and intently chosen to live a sober life—from drugs and alcohol. I don’t even smoke tobacco.

18 years worth of sobriety chips

I don’t share this information to boast, but to provide a change in perspective. I live the life I live now because my perspective on coping with life has changed. It shifted from turning to substances to bring me relief, to turning to prayer, community, journaling, writing, and Bible studies to cope with the stresses of life.

Please don’t think my seemingly joyous life (from the standpoint of social media) is stress free. Far from it. I struggle with my bad habits like, anger, rage, lust, control of others, getting my way. My compassionate expression is something I have to work at. It doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m still way too selfish so I work on my compassion for other people. I have to remind myself they’re on a journey of learning and growing too and they may not have had the same opportunities I did with mentors, the willingness to learn, and the open-mindedness to change.

Just know that any life that projects success came at a price; a sacrifice of time and effort that can never be retrieved. You have to put in work to get the life you dream of. It just doesn’t happen.

#lifeisadream #pleasedont