No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:4-5

Am I willing to serve Christ as an active duty soldier? Or as an athlete competing for the prize? What does this mean for my life as a servant of Christ? The soldier and athlete are relentless in their pursuit of the goal. They work and practice in their pursuit whether they are tired or not, busy or not, or when conditions are ideal or not. The distinction between the good and an average or poor soldier or athlete is the fact that they continue their pursuit through all difficulties, when conditions are not good they continue. The greatest athletes and soldiers typically have to overcome great obstacles in order to obtain their prize. Their dedication is relentless. We as Christians must be willing to do the same. Spiritual maturity can never be obtained if we wait around for the ideal conditions. All Christians must be willing to endure some sort of suffering or difficulty in order to be conformed to the image of Christ. Following Christ is not for the faint of heart. It is for those who are willing to depend on Christ to endure all hardships. Our hardships can include things such as money difficulties, a busy work schedule, work problems, and so on. Are we willing to continue serving Christ in the midst of these difficulties?