How to Make Hard Choices
Life is not easy. The notion that it should be is a modern myth, a fleeting whisper that evaporates under the weight of reality. From the moment humanity fell in the Garden, struggle became our inheritance. Yet within that struggle lies a profound truth: we have a choice. Not a choice to avoid hardship—such a thing doesn’t exist—but a choice in which hardship we will embrace. Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Debt is hard. Financial discipline is hard. Starting a business is hard. Working a 9-to-5 is hard. The question isn’t whether life will be difficult; it’s which difficulty you’ll choose to face. Choose wisely, for the Bible reveals that the path we pick shapes not just our lives, but our souls.
The Weight of Marriage and Divorce
Scripture paints marriage as a sacred covenant, a reflection of Christ’s union with the Church (Ephesians 5:25-32). It’s a beautiful calling, but it’s not easy. Two flawed people, bound by love and vow, must navigate conflict, selfishness, and sacrifice. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” That sharpening process? It’s friction. It’s hard. But the alternative—divorce—carries its own weight. Jesus Himself spoke of the gravity of breaking this bond (Matthew 19:6), and those who’ve walked that road know the scars it leaves—emotional, spiritual, and financial. Both paths are hard. One builds perseverance and character; the other tears down what was once whole. Which hard will you choose?
The Battle of Body and Soul
Our physical lives mirror this principle. Obesity is a burden—hard on the body, hard on the spirit. It saps energy, clouds confidence, and shortens years. Yet fitness is no picnic either. It demands sweat, discipline, and the will to push past comfort. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit… Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Stewardship of our health is a calling, but it’s a grind. The couch tempts us; the gym tests us. Both are hard. One leads to decay, the other to vitality. Which hard will you choose?
What you do physically affects you spiritually. What you do spiritually affects you physically.
The Chains of Debt and Discipline
Money is another arena where hardship reigns. Debt is a relentless taskmaster—Proverbs 22:7 warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender.” The stress of bills piling up, the weight of interest, the shame of owing—it’s a brutal road. But financial discipline? That’s no cakewalk either. Saying no to instant gratification, saving instead of spending, living below your means—it’s a daily battle against the flesh. Yet Scripture exalts the diligent: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5). Both paths are hard. One enslaves; the other liberates. Which hard will you choose?
The Call of Work and Purpose
Work, too, offers no escape from the grind. Starting a business is a leap of faith—risk, rejection, and sleepless nights come with the territory. Ecclesiastes 5:19 reminds us that toil is a gift from God, but entrepreneurship tests resolve like little else. On the flip side, the 9-to-5 can feel like a slow drip of monotony, trading time for security, wrestling with uninspired days. Colossians 3:23 calls us to work “as for the Lord,” whether punching a clock or building a legacy. Both are hard. One risks failure for freedom; the other trades freedom for stability. Which hard will you choose?
The Wisdom of Choosing Wisely
Here’s the heartbeat of it: life doesn’t spare us from struggle. Jesus said plainly in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Trouble isn’t optional; how we face it is. The Bible doesn’t promise ease, but it does promise purpose. James 1:2-4 urges us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Hardship isn’t the enemy—it’s the forge. The question is whether we’ll let it refine us or break us.
Consider Joshua, standing at the edge of Canaan. The Promised Land lay ahead, but so did giants, fortified cities, and years of war. Behind him was the wilderness—familiar, miserable, hard in its own way. God’s command? “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9). Joshua had to choose his hard path: retreat to slavery or advance through battle. He chose wisely, and a nation was born.
Or think of David, facing Goliath. Running was hard—cowardice carries its own shame. Fighting was hard—a sling against a giant isn’t a fairytale stroll. David chose the hard path of faith, declaring, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion… will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). His choice echoed through history.
The Lie of the Easy Path
We’re sold a lie that somewhere out there is an “easy” option—a shortcut past the pain. But Scripture and experience dismantle that illusion. Adam’s curse in Genesis 3:17-19 promised toil by the sweat of our brow. Ease is a mirage; effort is the reality. Yet within that effort lies dignity, growth, and reward. “Let us not become weary in doing good,” Galatians 6:9 assures us, “for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The harvest doesn’t come cheap—it’s hard-won.
So, what’s your hard? Will you grit your teeth through a marriage worth saving, or walk the jagged path of divorce? Will you wrestle your body into submission, or let it rule you? Will you break the chains of debt, or bow to them? Will you chase a dream through the fire, or settle for the slow burn of routine?
Every choice is hard. But not every choice is equal.
Choose Your Hard, Choose Your Legacy
The stakes are eternal. Hebrews 12:1-2 calls us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” He chose His hard—the cross—for our sake. If the Savior didn’t dodge suffering, neither can we. But like Him, we can choose a hard that redeems, that builds, that lasts.
Life is not easy, but you can choose your hard. Choose wisely. Pick the path that aligns with God’s design, that forges you into the man or woman He created you to be.
The easy road is a myth; the hard road is where glory dwells.
Action Step:
Ready to choose your hard and step into purposeful manhood? Take the 45-Day Challenge at FivestarMan.com. It’s not easy—but it’s worth it. Start today.
Neil Kennedy is the founder of FivestarMan, dedicated to igniting authentic masculinity through biblical principles and practical action.
