The Cost of Convenience
In our fast-paced world, convenience has become a currency that many of us are willing to pay a high price for. Whether it’s the drive-thru dinner or the quick fix to a problem, the allure of convenience is hard to resist. But here’s the truth: the cost of convenience is almost never worth it.—
HEALTH
Let’s start with food. It’s easy to grab a quick meal on the go—fast food, processed snacks, and ready-made dinners. But what’s the real cost? Your health. The convenience of fast food often comes with hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and empty calories that can lead to long-term health issues. It’s a trade-off that’s simply not worth it. Nourishing your body with wholesome, whole foods and consciously chosen meals might take more time and effort, but the rewards are immeasurable. Your body is a temple—what you put into it matters. As I’ve heard it said many different ways, food is the raw material you put into your body to make it function optimally.
In fitness, the cost of convenience is painfully clear. A quick surgery or fad diet might promise immediate results, but they don’t replace the benefits of a consistent workout plan and a healthy lifestyle. Honestly, I’ve heard way too many stories about a ‘convenient’ health hack gone wrong. The only hack to health is listening to your body and taking the necessary (tedious) steps to treat your body with respect. It’s taking the daily supplements, the daily walk, the act of moving your body. It’s getting quality and quantity sleep. There’s no shortcut to true fitness. It’s a journey that requires discipline, perseverance, and patience. The convenience of a quick fix might offer temporary changes, but consistency is what leads to lasting transformation. And that transformation isn’t always physical—it’s in the way you feel and the way you hold yourself.
FINANCES
Financially, convenience can be deceiving. That cheap product you bought to save a few bucks? It won’t last. You’ll end up spending more in the long run to replace it. Quality takes time and investment, but it endures. I currently do marketing for a leathergoods company that’s been in business for over 30 years. We’ve had customers come back decades later, still wearing the same belt or shoes they bought from us, and those items have only gotten better with age.
This principle applies across the board—from the tools we use to the homes we live in. When we choose convenience over quality, we’re choosing a cycle of short-term satisfaction at the expense of long-term stability. It’s a hallmark of Western culture, where efficiency often replaces quality and doing things the right way. Convenience can sometimes mean your clothes are from places that aren’t treating employees fairly. It means understanding why a good cup of coffee costs a decent amount of money. Brands like Onyx Coffee Lab are doing a great job of sharing the story of how they source their product and why it’s priced the way it is.
RELATIONSHIPS
When it comes to relationships, convenience is the enemy of depth. The deepest, most meaningful relationships are the ones that require effort, time, and intentionality. They aren’t built overnight, and they certainly don’t flourish on convenience. It’s easy to send a text or a quick hello, but real connection requires being present, listening, and investing in each other.
For example, I’m closest with my wife and son because I spend so much quality and quantity time with them—not just when it’s convenient. I show up on the good days and the bad. I show up when it’s easy and when it’s hard.
My business partner for Rally Your Family is a dear friend of mine, and we know that to maintain a deep level of trust and to deliver at a high capacity, we have an early morning coffee before our workday starts once a week. We guard that time and hold it sacred.
My wife and I also host our community group at our house once a month. We plan it out at the beginning of the year to be intentional with community. Convenience might seem attractive, but cooking food, wrangling kids, walking through life, and rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep ensures we are after depth, not convenience.
FAITH
Finally, in our walk with Christ, convenience can be a subtle but dangerous trap. Attending a single church service each week, while important, isn’t enough to sustain a vibrant relationship with God. Faith isn’t a once-a-week ritual; it’s a daily commitment to living out His Word and aligning our lives with His will.
Recently, I had a conversation with someone who asked if our life group was tied to a church and what study we were following. They were surprised when I said it’s five couples with no agenda other than delighting in the Lord and what He’s entrusted us with. No, we don’t crack open our Bibles once a month when we’re together and go through a series. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. But what I’ve realized is that most people do that because they think it’s the “Christian” thing to do, when in reality, Sabbath is a time to delight in the goodness of God. That could mean throwing the football around, eating a meal together, a round of putt-putt, intentional conversations… We’ve made up our minds that if we model community well and are intentional to make sure every couple in our group knows that a “life group” should never replace your daily walk with Christ, then maybe a true life group’s greatest asset is community and accountability, not just another obligatory Bible study. There’s a time and place for that, and thankfully, we have both.
True faith is in the daily surrender and the consistent pursuit of His presence in all aspects of your life.
CHOOSE THE HARD PATH
The cost of convenience might not be immediately apparent, but over time, it adds up in ways that matter most—our health, our finances, our relationships, and our faith. The easy path is rarely the best path. Choosing the hard path—one that requires effort, patience, and intentionality—leads to a life of depth, quality, and true fulfillment.
So next time you’re faced with the choice between convenience and commitment, remember this: the cost of convenience is almost never worth it.
Love you all. Life is good… and it keeps getting better.
Always in your corner,
-LM
