A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

Why Men Need More Than Life Hacks for Faith

We live in the age of the shortcut. Scroll through your social feed and you’ll find endless “life hacks”—ways to fold your shirts faster, cook a meal in five minutes, or trick your brain into waking up early. There’s a hack for everything: productivity, relationships, even happiness. The world tells us, “Why struggle when you can shortcut?”

Don’t get me wrong—some hacks are genuinely helpful. I love a good tip that makes my day smoother. But here’s the danger: the more we look for shortcuts in daily life, the more we’re tempted to look for them in our spiritual lives too. We want instant results, quick answers to prayer, and spiritual growth without the grind. But faith doesn’t work like that. There’s no hack for holiness.

The Call to a Different Path

Christian discipleship isn’t about the fastest route to spiritual maturity. It’s about “a long obedience in the same direction”—a phrase Eugene Peterson used to describe the steady, faithful, and enduring journey God calls us to walk. In a world obsessed with speed, God invites us to slow down, dig deep, and persevere.

What the Bible Says About Endurance

Let’s look at what Scripture says about the long road of faith:

• Romans 5:3-5 (ESV): “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

• Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

• 1 Corinthians 9:25 (ESV): “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

• John 14:15 (ESV): “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Life Hacks vs. Spiritual Growth

Life hacks are about efficiency. Spiritual growth is about endurance. The Christian life isn’t a sprint or a series of clever workarounds—it’s a marathon. God uses time, trials, and daily obedience to shape us into the image of Christ.

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to look for shortcuts in your walk with God? What would it look like to embrace the slow, steady process of spiritual growth?

The Value of Perseverance

Romans 5 reminds us that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character. Hebrews 12 calls us to run with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus. There’s no substitute for the long, sometimes difficult road of faithfulness. The reward? Real hope, real character, real transformation.

Challenge: Pick one spiritual discipline—prayer, Bible reading, worship, or service—and commit to practicing it daily for the next 30 days. No shortcuts. Just steady faithfulness.

Discipline and Self-Control

Paul compares the Christian life to an athlete’s training. Athletes don’t win by looking for hacks—they win by showing up, day after day, and doing the work.

Reflection: What “weights” or distractions are slowing you down? What habits do you need to lay aside to pursue God more fully?

Obedience Rooted in Love

Obedience isn’t about earning God’s favor. It’s about loving Jesus. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Our daily choices—big and small—are how we show our love for Christ.

Reflection: How does your love for Christ motivate your obedience? How can you deepen that love?

The Power of Brotherhood

No one runs this race alone. Hebrews 12 reminds us of the “cloud of witnesses”—those who have gone before us and those who run alongside us now.

Reflection:  Who are the men in your life who encourage you to keep going? How can you support each other in this long obedience?

Prayer

Lord, give us the strength to resist shortcuts and trust Your slow, steady work in our lives. Help us run with endurance, fix our eyes on Jesus, and love You more each day. Amen.

Final Word

Life hacks might make your morning routine easier, but there’s no shortcut to spiritual maturity. God calls us to a long obedience in the same direction—a life marked by perseverance, discipline, and love. Let’s commit to the journey, together.