…and it’s gonna be worth it!
A few weeks ago, after six months of saving allowance and doing odd jobs, my nine-year-old daughter, Kylie, was able to get a new black lab puppy. She was so excited! Jayley came to our home at 11 weeks, and the adventure began.
Kylie loves the puppy, and despite all the many messes to clean up early mornings, and sharp learning curve on how to consistently train, she’s shown incredible perseverance.
That said, in the last couple of weeks, the puppy began asserting her will much more…unfortunately with her puppy teething teeth! All she wants to do is bite and chew and nip at everything…mostly Kylie.
One morning last week, Kylie was incredibly discouraged. After many corrections and re-directions, Jayley latched onto Kylie’s pants and ripped them. Kylie, exhausted from another very early morning, just sat down and started to cry.
We talked it through, and Kylie kept saying the same phrase over and over: “It’s just so hard, mom!” This was one of those moments I knew the Holy Spirit was parenting through me because I would never have thought of this on my own.
“Honey, you keep saying that this is hard. And you are right! It IS hard. But you know what else is also true? You can do it. I know you can, because I’ve seen you do it, over and over again. So, next time you think it’s hard, you can say that. But I want you to say the other part too, okay? I want you to say, “It is hard. But I can do it!””
We talked a little more about how God strengthens us, and how He’s been helping her do what she’s done so far. We remembered that even though she’s tired, God is faithful and He will help her and give her wisdom and encouragement.
We wrote this out on an index card and hung it in our kitchen: It is hard. BUT I CAN DO IT! “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Later that morning, Kylie came to me and said, “Mom, I want to add something to our card. I want it to say: “It is hard. But I can do it, and it’s gonna be worth it!”
I just had to laugh. My sweet girl. Don’t we all need to hear that? Life can be really, really hard. It is not for the faint of heart. Jesus even told His disciples that in this world, they would have trouble. He did not want them to be surprised by it.
But, He also said to take heart, because He has overcome the world. We can do whatever it is God is asking of us, because He has given us, and is giving us, everything we need.
The Bible is so clear about this, much more clear than I ever realized. “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach…No, the Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it” (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14).
Here is another: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…” 2 Peter 1:3a (bold mine)
Everything, friend. Everything! We lack NOTHING for this life God calls us to live. It is hard, but we can do it.
But that last part that Kylie wanted to add? Well, I think I needed that one more than any of the others.
It’s gonna be worth it.
I think God just created my girl in a way that she really gets that. We are wired so differently, and the way she sees the world is such a precious gift to someone like me, who will just put my head down and plow through, without any of the joy that comes from remembering WHY I’m doing all this!
We need to remember that this thing we’re doing is worth it. All this hard work and diligence and staying the course and struggle against the world, our enemy, and our sin nature…it’s worth it. It’s not for nothing. We are getting somewhere, and it’s gonna be really, really good! Because of Jesus, we are on our way to heaven, where we will have uninterrupted fellowship with God. That is worth it!
It is hard to walk in this world. But we can do it! And it’s gonna be worth it.
But, He also said to take heart, because He has overcome the world. We can do whatever it is God is asking of us, because He has given us, and is giving us, everything we need.
The Bible is so clear about this, much more clear than I ever realized. “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach…No, the Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it” (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14).
Here is another: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…” 2 Peter 1:3a (bold mine)
Everything, friend. Everything! We lack NOTHING for this life God calls us to live. It is hard, but we can do it.
But that last part that Kylie wanted to add? Well, I think I needed that one more than any of the others.
It’s gonna be worth it.
I think God just created my girl in a way that she really gets that. We are wired so differently, and the way she sees the world is such a precious gift to someone like me, who will just put my head down and plow through, without any of the joy that comes from remembering WHY I’m doing all this!
We need to remember that this thing we’re doing is worth it. All this hard work and diligence and staying the course and struggle against the world, our enemy, and our sin nature…it’s worth it. It’s not for nothing. We are getting somewhere, and it’s gonna be really, really good! Because of Jesus, we are on our way to heaven, where we will have uninterrupted fellowship with God. That is worth it!
It is hard to walk in this world. But we can do it! And it’s gonna be worth it. 
