The Cost of Becoming

There is no doubt that there is an embrace of Freedom on the journey to evolving but can we be real about how much it costs? Muhammad Ali said something inspiring “I hated every minute of training but I told myself don’t quit – suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”, from the outside looking in – it’s easy to admire his wins in the boxing ring and imagine that training would be fun for him. Come on, he is one of the greatest regarded athletes in history… so he couldn’t possibly hate training right? How could one despise every minute of doing what ultimately made them great? What’s profound here is Muhammad Ali’s greatness was found in his perspective – “Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion” I imagine the pain his muscles felt contracting one after the other, punch after punch. I imagine the endless days of feeling sore and wondering if it was all worth it? If he could be doing something more valuable with him time? Should he have settled for a normal career? But Ali encouraged himself, the pain was not in vain and his greatness would be marked in history.

On your journey of becoming – what part of it feels like you are suffering? Is it letting go of bad habits? Refining your character only to find out there’s more work to do? Is it realizing you are not as far along by now as you would have hoped? What if I told you it was all of the above for me? What if the price you are paying now, the pain you are enduring in this season of becoming was ultimately leading you to your greatness? This has been a favorite quote of mine for many years now but I don’t believe there has been any season of my life where it has been more fitting. There’s many hats we all wear; in our families, our careers, our community and at large the world. Working daily towards becoming the best version of myself in Christ, marriage, motherhood and friendship – to say the least sometimes all feels too overwhelming. I know you’ve been there. “How do I possibly become that better version of myself that I envision BY tomorrow“? LOL It’s not about the destination but the journey they say.

So promise yourself to take it one day at a time. We will consistently show up and when we fall off track we will refocus and start where we left off. Becoming will cost you comfort, relationships, effort and old identities! You and I both know it’ll be worth it in the end!

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Thank God we don’t have to become alone.