Quotes from Do Hard Things

Bonnie, Ben, Laura and I are reading through Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris. The following are some noteworthy quotes applicable to all of us from the book that definitely challenged me.

On trials as a gift to build our character...

Smith Wigglesworth didn't learn to read until he was an adult, and he was unable to speak publicly for most of his life due to a terrible stammer. Against all odds he overcame this impediment and turned out to be one of England's greatest evangelist during his later years, leading thousands to Christ.

We could look at this story and say, "What a shame. If only speaking had come easily and early to him, think of how much more fruitful he could have been." But Wigglesworth recognized that the difficulties he overcame were vital to the effectiveness of his ministry. He liked to say, "Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great test. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials." - page 71

Being known for what we do as well as what we don't do...

God's Word is clear. Our culture's standard of simply not doing bad stuff is really no standard at all. Psalm 1:1 tells us, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers" (ESV). A lot of people, though, seem to quit reading there and miss the next verse: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Our Culture seems to hear the don'ts but miss the dos.

Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher of the nineteenth century, commented, "Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly; but let me ask you - Is you delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand - your best companion and hourly guide?" If not, Spurgeon said, the blessing of Psalm 1 does not belong to you.

To live by God's standards for young people and to enjoy the blessing He promises, we must get beyond simply avoiding bad stuff. To see this we need only look at the theme verse of the Rebelulution, 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (NIV). We're not just supposed to avoid sinning; we're supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate. - page 97-98