All Series > Virtue & Vice > Part 4
Do the Hard Things
(Series 3, Part 4, Teaching #20)
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Do the Hard Things
Pursuing a virtuous life is undeniably hard. But do not be discouraged. As it is said, “One should not say that it is impossible to reach a virtuous life; but one should say that it is not easy” (St. Anthony the Great). Those words ring true. The road to virtue is not smooth or soft—it is steep, narrow, and often lonely. But it is also the only road that leads to the kind of fulfillment the world cannot offer.
The world tells you to follow your heart, chase pleasure, and do what feels good. But the way of virtue says the opposite: do what is right—especially when it’s hard.
To develop virtuous character, you must embrace doing the hard things before the pleasurable things. Make a habit of it: wake up on time, pray, do your tasks, put others first. Stop procrastinating, complaining, or half-hearting—seeking delight before duty. Failing to do so will leave an unfilled void in your soul. As Scripture says, “I said in my heart: ‘I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.’ And I saw that this, too, is emptiness” (Ecclesiastes 2:1).
You may not realize it now, but the avoidance of hard things sows deep seeds of vice—seeds that slowly grow into habits of laziness, selfishness, entitlement, and apathy. Over time, these habits twist the soul. But when you choose to do what is difficult for the sake of what is good, you sow seeds of virtue. And those seeds grow too—into strength, discipline, courage, and character.
Consider this truth:
Seeds of vice are sown in doing the pleasurable things before the hard things. Seeds of virtue are sown in doing the hard things before the pleasurable things.
This does not mean you are to reject all pleasure. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the pleasures of life—a tasty meal, a relaxing trip, a good movie. These are healthy ways to recharge—but only if done in a moderate, moral, and justly ordered way, after the hard things and hard work the Lord has placed before you have been done first. Pleasure is not the problem; disordered pleasure is. Earthly joys are a gift from God and can refresh the soul. But they must be properly enjoyed, not escaped into; received, not grasped for. Joy is sweetest when it follows faithfulness.
“The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked [souls]” (Henry David Thoreau). So, do the hard things. Make God’s will your will—do what you ought before doing what you want. This intentionality—day after day, choice after choice—will slowly carve the grooves of virtue deep into your soul, until righteousness becomes your reflex and sacrifice your strength.
Wake up with intention. Go to bed with peace. Live each day as a servant of God’s will, not your own. And over time, you will be surprised by who you are becoming. You will start to crave discipline. You will begin to love order. You will find joy in service. And eventually, the hard things won’t feel so hard anymore—they’ll feel like habit.
So take the first step. Let your life be a living example of one who lives by grace—who chooses virtue over comfort, discipline over disorder, love over selfishness. For it is in the furnace of difficulty that true character is forged. And through that refining fire, holiness will emerge.
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Resources
Visual Resource
Illustration highlighting how seeds of virtue are sown by doing the hard things before the pleasurable things.
Free Lesson Plan
Perfect for small groups, families, classrooms, or personal reflection.
5-Minute Deep Dive
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Related Scripture
“I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things. And I saw that this, too, is emptiness” — Ecclesiastes 2:1 (CPDV)
“I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.’ But again, this also was vanity.” — Ecclesiastes 2:1 (NRSVue)
"But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." — 2 Timothy 3:1-4 (NABRE)
“Keep yourself in training for a godly life. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed. We struggle and work hard, because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.” — 1 Timothy 4:8-10 (GNT)
“A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well. Too much honey is bad for you…” — Proverbs 25:26-27 (GNT)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” — John 14:15 (NABRE)
“Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” — 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NABRE)
“So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” — Galatians 6:9 (GNT)
“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NABRE)
“I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” — Philippians 4:13 (GNT)
“Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth.” — 2 Timothy 2:15 (GNT)
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.” — Proverbs 10:9 (NRSVue)
“Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground. So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people. And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret.” — Ephesians 6:10-19 (GNT)
“So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin.” — James 4:17 (GNT)
Related Quotes
“One should not say that it is impossible to reach a virtuous life; but one should say that it is not easy. Nor do those who have reached it find it easy to maintain.” — St. Anthony the Great
“The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men.” ― Henry David Thoreau
“Character is developed one positive action at a time. Therefore, nothing is actually trivial in our lives. To grow in character development, pay attention to seemingly trivial matters. Someone who grows from each minor life event will eventually reach high levels of character perfection.” — Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
“It is not the most distinguished achievements that men's virtues or vices may be best discovered; but very often an action of small note. A casual remark or joke shall distinguish a person's real character more than the greatest sieges, or the most important battles.” — Plutarch
“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.” — Charles R. Swindoll
“I do the unpleasant tasks before I do the pleasant ones.” — Viktor Frankl
“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your actions. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” — Gandhi
“We should every night call ourselves to an account: What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed? What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? Our vices will abate of themselves if they be brought every day to the shrift.” — Seneca
“Look within, for within is the wellspring of virtue, which will not cease flowing, if you cease not from digging.” — Marcus Aurelius
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Think no vice so small that you may commit it, and no virtue so small that you may over look it.” — Confucius
“Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire, and to know what he ought to do.” — St.Thomas Aquinas
“He that has energy enough to root out a vice should go further, and try to plant a virtue in its place.” — Charles Caleb Colton
“If you commit a sin and take pleasure in it, the pleasure passes but the sin remains. But if you do something virtuous, even though you are tired, the tiredness passes but the virtue remains.” — St. Camillus de Lellis
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