I wish life was as easy as Lionel Richie’s Sunday Mornings. But let’s be real—Lionel wasn’t a pastor! If life were easy, everyone would just get along, coffee would always be the perfect temperature, and the weather would stay at a crisp 70 degrees year-round. But that’s not reality. Life isn’t easy—it’s a full-contact sport. Go Irish!

Honestly, if I go a day without some kind of challenge, I start wondering if I’m in the wrong dimension. I tell my kids, “There are no problems, just puzzles to figure out.” But sometimes, I want to flip the whole puzzle table and walk away. Life be life-ing, hard!

The Truth About Challenges

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: growth only happens through challenge. My comfort needs to be stretched. My habits need to be tested. My relationships need a little friction to get stronger. If everything is easy, we don’t grow—we just become weaker and more self-absorbed.

👉 “Easy isn’t the goal—becoming better is.”

We see this especially in community. Someone rubs us the wrong way, and suddenly, we’re out. Instead of pushing through, we pull the classic church exit: “I just feel like God is calling me somewhere else.” Or my personal favorite: “I’m just not getting fed.” 🫣

But here’s the truth: If I run from every hard thing, I’ll never get stronger.

The Downside of Easy

When I chase easy, I create a life full of unnecessary conflict. If I never learn to push through, I’ll always feel like a victim to my circumstances. I don’t grow past my problems—I just keep replaying them with different characters.

🔥 “The challenge you’re facing isn’t here to break you—it’s here to build you.”

Humans are resilient. We were made to overcome and produce. We were made for hard things! So, here’s your word today: The challenge in front of you is an opportunity for growth—if you don’t run from it.

Embrace the challenge. Grow through it. Because easy isn’t what you were made for. You were made for more.

Can I get an amen!