After talking about Comparison not so long ago, so it's come time to introduce Comparison's ugly cousin: Effort.
Now, Effort can be pretty confusing at times. It's complimented and encouraged (you know what I'm talking about) : "He gave it 110% and I couldn't ask for more!" and "I left it all on the field man, I gave everything I had to give!" It's heralded as a virtue and something to be celebrated...
You're wondering what I'm thinking, aren't you? Effort is a good thing! It's what separates the people with heart from the slackers out there! People who try the hardest are the people we need to encourage or else we'll have a culture that only celebrates talent and success! Effort is the hope we can give to those who work hard but still come in outside of first place...it's their trophy!
Effort truly is one of those things that can fool you. Effort can put on makeup, style the hair, head out to a darkened bar and masquerade as a knockout, but when exposed in the light, it's U-G-L-Y.
I want to be clear at this point that I am certainly approaching Effort from a unique perspective. I understand and applaud Effort as it appears in the daily lives of everyone from Joe Average to Sammy Superstar, but there is a time and a place when Effort is unwelcome, when its influence undermines and condemns...
That time is now and that place is in the heart of a stumbled believer. In my life, I can't count the times I've said to God (or others who represent Him here), "I'll try harder this time!" only to fall flat on my face again. You see, Effort is trying to help me out, but it doesn't know how. It's like the monkey who sees the fruit in the bottle and reaches in to grab it and pull it out. Effort pulls and tugs and tries to free me, but it can't figure out why it won't work! As long as it grips the fruit, the hand and prize together are too large to pass through the neck of the bottle... the only way I'm coming out of the bottle is if it's tipped up, so I can roll out on my own.
Effort clings on with the best intentions, unaware that it has no hope of success here. And that's not because Effort itself is evil, but because Efffort is the wrong tool for the task. Effort has a hard time giving up. It goes against its very nature. Effort is all about not giving up, not letting go, not accepting that something can't be done. That's why it becomes an obstacle in this time and this place. Now, and here, what we need is Submission, also known as Surrender.
The greatest lesson Effort can learn is when it needs to step out of the spotlight. Submission can sweep in, redeem the stumbling, remind them of their peace. They are saved. I might add, they are accepted and they are loved. More Effort wasn't and isn't going to take the stumbling any further, but in Submission, they may find release. Effort doesn't make us look any better, sound any better, smell any better or feel any better before the One. Submission is the only suit we need...
While Effort can, and should, be appreciated, my sincere hope is that when it comes to your journey towards true life and freedom, you wouldn't try so hard.
