In life we have to choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline is tough; regret is unbearable - choose either. The pain of regret is worse than the pain of discipline.
Nothing can be achieved without discipline. Neglecting discipline and a focused pursuit of our goals in life will lead to regret, and that is painful, even unbearable. We should, therefore, have an attitude of gratitude for the capability to be disciplined and pursue what is meaningful and worthwhile. This will not only ensure that we achieve what we seek to attain, but will protect us from living with the regret of painful failure or missed opportunities. Getting on the path of regret is the way to resentfulness and bitterness. Living with the 'should've, could've, would've' of life's missed opporunities and painful failures due to it becomes a burden too big to bear. Gratitude is the antidote!
Discipline or Regret - Choose!
We have to choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Those of us who are old enough to have experienced both, know that the pain of regret is much worse. It's worse because it lasts and is an ever-present reality that weighs one down and often paralyses to move on in life. Discipline, on the other hand, is a temporary sacrifice to gain a higher goal in life - the sense of reward removes all pain disciplines caused us and lets us enjoy the fruits of our efforts. The sense of achievement satisfies us and we are grateful that we went through the necessary discipline to achieve our goals. Remain grateful while you allow discipline to work out the purpose you seek to fulfil.
Gratitude will enable us to be patient and endure what we must in order to get to where we want to get. It's true, as someone said, if you want to achieve something others don't, you must do what others won't. Be the brave one to go the extra mile, work the extra hours, and make that extra sacrifice. 'Eyes on the prize,' as the say. Pursue what you want with commitment, consistency and discipline. Motivation is good, but once that fades out, only discipline will keep us going.
Commitment and Consistency
In his powerful motivational speech, the famous actor Denzel Washington made some very vital statements that are a great inspiration.
Without commitment you will never start, but more importantly, without consistency you will never finish.
Washington encouraged the young generation of actors to overcome hardships in order to fulfil their dreams. He made clear that hardships help people achieve their goals and warned them of the dangers of ease.
Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.
He's spot on! C.S. Lewis had already stated that hardships can prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. Keeping a good attitude during hardships is crucial. Being grateful that the things that make us are a blessing despite the unpleasant things we must go through helps us stay clear and pursue purpose and destiny. Passing through a tunnel carries the hope that there is light at the end of it. At times, of course, the light we see in the tunnel might be an approaching train! There are unsettling circumstances that make our journey difficult. At times we might be tempted to give up as we can't see a way forward. But consider the following.
Crossing Your Read Sea
The children of Israel had faced a hopeless situation when they stood in front of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army chasing them from behind. They couldn't walk on water, neither was there a ferry waiting to take them across! They couldn't return either. They were, as the saying goes, 'pressed between a rock and a hard place.' The Egyptian army sought to recapture their runaway slaves, without whom their economy would suffer greatly, yet God had other plans for His people: freedom! But freedom is never cheap. It comes with a price, yet is the highest prize!
As the Egyptian army approached, the Israelites were frightened and cried out to God (Exodus 14:10). Fear is a reality when faced with impossible circumstances. How we handle that fear will determine how the story will end. Crying out to the Almighty is a great strategy. However, there was a serious problem in the attitude of these former slaves. They complained to their leader that he had actually taken them out of Egypt and its slavery, not to liberate them, but so that they might get killed in the wilderness (vv 11-12). Complaining is the opposite of gratitude. Complaining makes us angry and lose hope. They were not focused on a solution, but rather sought to blame someone for their misery. Desperate people often turn on the ones who can actually help them! Confused people start twisting reality and accuse the good ones of evil intentions. This makes a difficult situation worse.
Moses, however, handled the situation remarkably well. He told the people not to fear and freak out, and foretold them of the salvation of God. He promised them that God would fight for them (vv 13-14) - and He did! After God had split the sea so His people could pass through to safety on dry land, He caused the Egyptian army to drown in that same water. They themselves realised that 'the Lord is fighting for them [Israelites] against the Egyptians' (v 25). God fought for His people. God made a way in an impossible situation. And God dealt with the enemy who sought Israel's destructions. When God acts, He acts decisively. Trust Him. Don't become angry at God and fight those who are here to help you. Remain trustful and grateful that God has a solution for every problem, no matter how bad things might look. God will not only find a solution for you to get out of the problem, He will also deal with the threat that might remain afterwards.
God had no plans to liberate His people from slavery in order to kill them in the wilderness. That doesn't make any sense at all! God is not irrational. His plan was to liberate them from slavery and give them freedom in the Promised Land. On the way to our destiny there are obstacles to overcome and problems to solve. Set your mind to it and know these are necessary evils that make you better. Don't become bitter. Don't despair. Don't allow the problems to distort your positive image of God. It's so easy to always blame God and others. Even atheists blame the God they claim doesn't exist! It's easy to make excuses, but it doesn't help. It takes courage to embrace responsibility and take action, but it's the only way to achieve a meaningful outcome.
The pain of discipline is worth it. The pain of regret is unbearable. Choose the temporary pain of discipline to avoid the lasting pain of regret. Remain grateful in the process. God is good.
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