When I was a teenager, I took lessons in a form of Korean martial arts called TaeKwonDo. I had a great coach whose name was Master Miley, and he taught me, my brother, and my stepmom to be champs. He was always pushing us to go farther and aim higher. Unfortunately, I was never much of a fan of stretching, which happens to be how we started every class. One day in particular, Master Miley called out across the room, “Schuller! Go deeper into your stretch!” And I said, “But it hurts!” And he said, “Schuller, it’s not stretching if it doesn’t hurt a little.” Though I didn’t think much of that phrase at the time, it has become a motto in my life as an adult. Just like the exercise of stretching improves physical health by opening up your body, increasing strength and flexibility, and even helping you sleep better, figuratively speaking, stretching in other parts of your life has multiple benefits for your emotional and spiritual well-being. 

Friend, there are areas in which you need to stretch in order to grow into the best version of you. Only by getting out of your comfort zone will you ever fully realize the potential Jesus has placed within your soul. Whether it’s in your finances, your health, your career, your relationships, or your walk with God, push yourself just a little bit harder and you will see major results. Never settle for staying the same; instead, force yourself to get out of your box, embrace something new, and resolve each morning to stretch just a little bit further than you did the day before. It only takes small changes to see major results!