One of my favorite Relient K songs opens with the verse, “I’m giving up on giving up slowly.” It’s a song about redemption, resolve, and hope in a better life that is beginning now. It’s the moment we all experience when we walk out of the confessional.

A life without sin is the life we were made to lead. Along the path, we meet resistance. Before we are challenged by forces in the world, we have to beat ourselves. We must beat the sins, habits, tendencies, and tastes that knock us off of our game. We face down doubt, reluctance, and fear. Can it really be true? What about all of this that I have to give up? Is this really a better path? Maybe I’ll try tomorrow.

Tomorrow turns into a week, turns into a month, a year, a life. Before we know it, we’re further from the destination than when we started. All of these small choices that we make carry us a little further off the path and into the weeds.

What if things were different? What if we gave up on giving up slowly? What if we raised the stakes and went all in? What if we laid down this empty life that we’ve chosen for ourselves and embraced the life-giving cross?

How different would you feel each morning? How different would your marriage be? How different would your relationship with your children be? How different would your job feel? The Cross has a way of touching every area of our lives. Everything would be different.

I’m giving up on giving up slowly. I’m excising all of the things getting in my way. I’m done with excuses and believing that a setback negates all of my progress. I’m done neglecting my spiritual life for a few lousy extra minutes of sleep. I’m done. I’m done. I’m done.