In order for us to reach this high ideal, that which causes the soul to stumble must be sacrificed. It is through the will that sin retains its hold upon us. The surrender of the will is represented as plucking out the eye or cutting off the hand. Often it seems to us that to surrender the will to God is to consent to go through life maimed or crippled. But it is better, says Christ, for self to be maimed, wounded, crippled, if thus you may enter into life. That which you look upon as disaster is the door to highest benefit. – {Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings p 61.1}

Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

The ability to make the right choice is our greatest struggle as humans. This is the crux of our fight, the greatest obstacle in our race. Sometimes it’s easy not to make the correct, difficult choice. I know on Tuesday when I was in my spinning class it was easier to drop the resistance and not push myself. But that won’t prepare me for the summer triathlons. It’s better to suffer now and enjoy a better reward later. Let’s make the right choices, because what seems like a loss is only a mirage between us and the true reward Christ has for us.