In the 14th century, Julian of Norwich wrote, “He said not, thou shall not be tempested or thou shall not be afflicted. He did said, Thou shall not be overcome.” Our task is not to live our life in such a way that there are never any difficult days, but to live so that we can overcome the hard days.
Somewhere I read, “If you would be successful, do the things that are hard and lonely.” Everyone can do the fun things, the social things, or the easy things. Anyone can watch a football game with a friend or go to a movie with a special person. These things are fun and social for most of us. Doing them will bring us no lasting success in life. Few people are willing to do the hard things, the lonely things. Few people are willing to spend time alone memorizing math formulas so those who do are thought of as smart. Few people are willing to sit up at night with the television off and memorize passages from God’s word. To get ahead in your job or any part of your life, be willing to do the hard and lonely things. The fact that they are hard will mean you will be lonely in doing them, but doing these things will set you apart from the crowd. Do not curse the hard circumstances, but rather relish them as opportunities for victory.
Abraham Lincoln was reared in deep poverty. It was hard, but he was willing to overcome it. Franklin D. Roosevelt was a victim of polio. Beethoven, one of the true musical geniuses of the world, was completely deaf. Their problems, their almost impossible circumstances simply meant they must work harder. They did the hard and lonely things. We will always remember them. Never give in just because something is hard. The fact that circumstances are hard is what allows your victory to be great.
In the 17th century, Anne Bradstreet put it beautifully, “If we had no winter; the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”