It Gets Easier Each Time

“It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day — that’s the hard part. But it does get easier.”  ― Jogging Baboon from BoJack Horseman.

The above famous quote from the Jogging Baboon to Bojack after Bojack collapsed while running perfectly captures the brutal truth of building habits and overcoming personal struggles. It implies that building good habits, healing, or improving your life gets less painful over time, but the real challenge is showing up and doing the work every single day.

Consistency is the only path to progress. The hardest part of any new habit, whether it is running, learning a new language, or maintaining sobriety, is showing up daily. It is the cumulative effect of small, repeated actions that allows you to break through initial resistance.

Habits are difficult to form initially, but as you practice them, neural pathways adapt. What feels like an exhausting chore today will eventually become second nature or even enjoyable.

"It gets easier every day": Habits and hardships require a massive amount of mental and physical energy at first. It is like a child taking his first step. The first step is clumsy and difficult. But each time he returns to the same challenge, he carries a little more information than before. Very soon, he stops thinking about walking – he walks. What used to feel impossible slowly becomes his new normal.

“But you have to do it every day": We know exercise is good. The hard part is doing it. I admire bro Leonard, who wakes up very early before the sun rises to jog. The hard part is doing it, but the hardest part is doing it every day.

“But it does get easier”: Most hard things don’t become easy overnight; they become easier through repetition. It certainly gets easier every day. Consistency is the only way to success. This applies to learning all kinds of new skills: Persistence pays off. The task may not change, but our brains stop treating it as an impossible and boring task.

However, there is a good and a bad about this statement, “It gets easier each time.”

Let’s start with the BAD: “It gets easier each time…… with SIN.”

In a spiritual context, crossing moral boundaries gets easier each time you do it. The conscience can become desensitized, which allows destructive patterns to feel normal or comfortable.

If you are not accustomed to lying but your boss asks you to, your conscience may trouble you. However, it becomes easier each time you do it, and gradually, your conscience bothers you less. This is also true for any sin or sinful habit; it tends to become easier over time. For example, a young couple who experiences the forbidden act for the first time may feel guilt and regret. Over time, though, it becomes less significant, and suddenly, having sex before marriage doesn't seem like a big deal anymore.

Paul explains that false preachers spread so much falsehood that their consciences are as if they have been seared with a hot iron. This means that their conscience has become so desensitized that it no longer feels anything. In other words, preaching lies has become a habit for them; it doesn’t bother their conscience (1 Timothy 4:2).

How did you feel about the first time you had to miss a church service? I hope you felt guilty about it. What happened when you missed the second and third time? You felt slightly better? Well, it gets easier each time, until missing church service doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore.

What does the Bible say?

1. Luke 13:3: “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

2. 1 John 5:16: “There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” John is referring to those who choose to live in sin and refuse to repent. He tells us not to bother to pray for their forgiveness.

3.  Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Every sin has a hardening effect, especially when it is committed repeatedly. The way to prevent it is not to start it: “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:15).

Let’s go to the GOOD: “It gets easier each time…… WITH SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE.”

Spiritual discipline mirrors physical training; consistent practice can transform challenging habits into second nature. The real test is daily commitment, as each session brings us closer to making these habits automatic.

Many struggle to begin their day with a prayer or Bible reading, viewing them as obstacles. Though engaging in these practices can be challenging at first, they ultimately deepen our faith and strengthen our spirituality. Over time, with discipline and commitment, these habits become easier as our mindset shifts.

Try these spiritual exercises:

1. Wake up with a prayer. It’s the simplest and easiest to do exercise (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

2. Read the Bible daily. This is the second simplest and easiest exercise. Discipline yourself to do it every day; it gets easier each time (Psalm 119:97). The secret is to set a fixed time. We have schedules for everything, including meals; why not also for Bible reading?

3. Attend Thursday night Bible class. This may seem challenging, but it's easier than going to work daily. The hardest part is starting and maintaining consistency, but it does become easier over time (Hebrews 10:25).

Those who are strong spiritually have spiritual discipline. They will tell you the same thing: “It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day — that’s the hard part. But it does get easier.”