Blog Posts

In a world that often prioritizes comfort, ease, and instant gratification, it can be difficult to understand why struggle—whether intellectual, emotional, or physical—should be considered a virtue. Yet, in the Christian worldview, struggle is seen as a crucial part of God's process of sanctification in our lives. Struggle is also paramount with regards to academic achievement; thinking and learning! It is not merely something to be endured or avoided, but an opportunity for growth, refinement, and maturity. As followers of Christ, we are called to embrace the challenges we face, knowing that through these struggles, God shapes us more into His image.

I, for one, idolize comfort. When my children were younger I didn’t want to have to go home after teaching school all day and then re-teach my children. I just wanted to relax. I figured I worked hard all day long and so deserved some respite from the tough days before me. I was wrong!

Struggle, in its many forms, is woven throughout Scripture. James 1:2-4 (NIV) reminds us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” This passage reframes struggle—not as something to be feared but as a tool for growth. The process of struggling is virtuous because it produces qualities that reflect God’s character and strengthen our faith. Through struggle, we learn patience, humility, wisdom, and perseverance.

And as a baseball guy all my life, I know for sure that the struggle is real, and the grind is a good thing! Think about it. Major League Baseball seasons are 162 games long and players get 1 day off per week; and that’s usually a travel day. It’s a grind. It’s a struggle. And one can fail 70% of the time and be considered one of the greats! Baseball, to me, is one of the more perfect athletic examples resembling life in general. There are ups and down. Success must be redefined in terms that make sense. And players have to maintain a daily intensity level slightly above the average person to make it work. The struggle, the grind, is real. To quote Jimmy Dugan from the movie, A League of Their Own, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”

A Biblical Case for Struggle in Education
This principle of struggle as a means of growth applies just as much in education as it does in life and faith. Unfortunately, many students today have been conditioned to fear failure rather than see it as an essential part of learning. The modern classroom often discourages risk-taking. Students learn to avoid intellectual struggle because they equate failure with punishment—lower grades, embarrassment, or lost opportunities. But this mindset stifles curiosity, perseverance, and intellectual growth.

As Christian educators, we at WCA make strides to increasingly adopt a robust philosophy of failure in our classrooms, one that aligns with Biblical truth and the realities of intellectual development. We desire to cultivate lifelong Truth Seekers, and as such, our students must feel safe to fail, reassess, and try again. Learning is a process, and failure is not its enemy; rather, it is a key ingredient in the process of mastering any subject.

In Proverbs 24:16, we read: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” This truth must permeate our educational philosophy; not just here in the classrooms at WCA, but in our homes with our children, spouses, families, friends, and loved ones. We desire to create learning environments where students can fall—where they can attempt difficult tasks, wrestle with complex ideas, and even fail—without those failures permanently defining them. Just as God allows us to stumble so that we may grow in faith, we educators and parents should allow students to struggle, fostering resilience rather than fear.

A Philosophy of Failure: Fostering Growth
If failure is such a powerful tool for growth, how can we create a classroom structure that encourages it in a productive way? One approach is the idea that failure should be a step in the learning process rather than a final judgment. Just like in the Bible, the Greek word for test and trial and temptation are all the same; how it is defined depends upon context. Yes, God tests us! But it is like the test the scientist performs on an object to verify what it is; what is its true nature. It is not a test of judgment. Or, consider a recital. After hours and weeks and months of practicing we put on display the efforts of musicians and singers, etc. But make no mistake; even in a recital one can face the consequences of their actions if they didn’t train well or practice appropriately, etc.

At WCA, we desire for all of our teachers to allow some initial failure with students. We call this formative assessment and it occurs in a multitude of ways. We also desire for teachers to ensure that students are encouraged to engage deeply with the material, make mistakes, and learn from them without fear of being identified with the failure itself. When students struggle with a particular concept, they are encouraged to re-engage with the material, reassess, and improve—just as an artist refines a painting or a musician practices a difficult piece before a performance.

This approach aligns with the biblical process of sanctification. Sanctification is not instant; it is a lifelong journey of refinement. Similarly, learning is not about immediate perfection but continuous growth. Just as God is patient with us in our spiritual walk, allowing us to stumble and learn, teachers are patient with students, guiding them through their intellectual struggles.

With all that said, at some point the night of the recital arrives. The day of the game arrives. And the day of an assessment arrives as well. We’re not just working to educate students as best, and as Biblically, as we can, but we are also working to prepare students for the rigors of the universities they might attend in the future, as well as their careers and jobs. Students have to learn to learn within deadlines, for sure.

Failure as an Essential Component of Intellectual Virtues
The struggle of learning is a proving ground for intellectual virtues—habits of mind that shape students into thoughtful, disciplined, and curious individuals. At Warner Christian Academy, we emphasize the cultivation of these virtues, which include:

• Intellectual Humility – Recognizing that we do not know everything and being open to correction. This is impossible to develop if students are afraid to admit they are wrong.
• Intellectual Courage – Taking risks in thinking, speaking, and writing, even if one might be incorrect.
• Intellectual Tenacity – Persisting in learning despite difficulty.
• Intellectual Autonomy – Learning to think independently rather than simply memorizing information.

These virtues are best developed in a learning environment where students are encouraged to struggle without fear. When students know they are safe to take intellectual risks, they become more willing to engage with difficult material and develop perseverance.

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul writes: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” If we truly want students to develop character and hope, we must allow them to experience the struggle of learning without discouraging them from pressing forward.

Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Struggle Leading to Glory
No discussion of the virtue of struggle would be complete without looking at Christ Himself. Jesus endured the ultimate struggle—taking on the sin of the world and suffering on the cross. Hebrews 12:2 tells us: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus’ struggle led to the redemption of humanity. His example teaches us that hardship, when endured for the right reasons, produces fruit that far outweighs the pain. In the same way, students who struggle academically, intellectually, or even spiritually should be reminded that their struggles are not in vain. They are being shaped, refined, and prepared for greater things.

And that is the ultimate end of our Mission—to shape students into the image of Christ by helping them discover Truth; we’re shaping Truth Seekers!

The Culture of a School that Embraces Struggle and Redemption
At Warner Christian Academy, we believe in the virtue of struggle—not as something to be avoided, but as something that strengthens faith, character, and intellect. We encourage students to embrace difficult tasks, to wrestle with challenging material, and to develop perseverance in their learning. We also desire for students to learn from failure without being defined by it.

In our classrooms, we desire to help parents and families guide students toward intellectual and spiritual maturity. Our discipline system follows this same principle. Rather than viewing misbehavior as something to be simply punished, we see it as an opportunity for discipleship—a chance to guide students back to truth, just as God graciously corrects us.

Sure, there are of course rules and policies, etc. And though students must have consequences for actions, they are forgiven, and their identities are not wrapped up in the behavioral infractions and sanctions.

Conclusion: Struggle as a Path to Transformation
In the end, struggle—whether in academics, faith, or life—is not something to be feared but embraced. It is the soil in which perseverance, humility, wisdom, and character grow. Just as God uses struggle to refine our faith, we must allow students to struggle in their learning so that they may grow into wise, thoughtful, and resilient individuals.

If we are to prepare students to be faithful followers of Christ, we must teach them to view struggle as a pathway to growth, not as a roadblock to success. Whether in their academic journey, their spiritual walk, or their future careers, they will face challenges. And when they do, we want them to have the confidence to rise again—knowing that struggle is not the end of the story, but the beginning of transformation.

Soli deo gloria!

As an educator for the past 28 years, I have heard on countless occasions students ask, “Why do I need to learn this?” or “When will I use this in real life?” I totally and completely understand their knee-jerk desire to ask these questions because, well, I asked them myself as a teenager—and I imagine many of you have too.

Unfortunately, throughout my career in education, there has been a push to constantly “make education applicable.” Oh, we think students don’t listen, don’t we? But really, they are listening! And they are learning! When national educational leaders pontificate about how all learning should be applicable to students’ lives, the student will hear that! Indeed, they will! It gives us, as students, a built-in excuse to abjectly refuse to learn something if we do not deem it applicable. And therein lies the rub, doesn’t it? Who determines what is to be and not to be applicable to the millions of students’ lives? The students? They certainly seem to think so. And what about learning for the sake of learning? For the sake of coming closer and closer to the Truth? Learning should be about Truth Seeking, right?

Schools need to get back to helping students develop into becoming good thinkers/learners. At WCA, we will do so by developing the intellectual virtues—habits of thinking and learning—that are essential for success, personal growth, and living out one’s faith. These nine intellectual virtues—(1) Curiosity, (2) Intellectual Humility, (3) Intellectual Autonomy, (4) Attentiveness, (5) Intellectual Carefulness, (6) Intellectual Thoroughness, (7) Open-Mindedness, (8) Intellectual Courage, and (9) Intellectual Tenacity—are more than academic skills; they are character traits that reflect the character of God and enable individuals to love the Lord their God with all their minds! Not only this, but these intellectual virtues will help students to learn the patterns of thinking and problem-solving that apply to every area of life—not just within the classroom.

Just as a good neighbor shows kindness, generosity, and patience, and a good citizen demonstrates honesty, responsibility, and respect, a good thinker cultivates the intellectual virtues. These virtues shape a person’s character, influencing how they approach challenges, seek Truth, and interact with others. Learning in school provides opportunities to practice these traits, building habits that last a lifetime. Developing intellectual virtues is not only about achieving success, but also about becoming a person of integrity who uses their mind to serve others and to glorify God. And isn’t that our mission here at WCA…to shape students into the image of Christ by helping them discover Truth?! Why, yes it is!

The intellectual virtues also mirror the character of God. As the Creator of the universe, God is the ultimate source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. When students cultivate intellectual virtues, they reflect aspects of God’s nature in their own lives. For example:

1.  Curiosity reflects God’s infinite wisdom and desire for His children to seek truth and explore His creation. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” This also takes the focus off of self and places it squarely upon others; being curious about what others have to say.

2.  Intellectual Humility reflects Christ’s humility, as seen in Philippians 2:3-4, where believers are called to consider others above themselves, and allows us to admit when we do not know something, and as such, we become Truth Seekers.

3.  Intellectual Autonomy mirrors God’s gift of free will, encouraging individuals to think independently while aligning their choices with His truth. It also teaches us to work independently and not depend upon the work of others for or the words of others for affirmation or validation.

4.  Attentiveness mirrors God’s attentiveness to His creation, as seen in Matthew 10:29-31, where even the sparrows are under His care. Being careful, meticulous, is a virtue, for sure such that we minimize mistakes and take care to do all that we do for the glory of God.

5.  Intellectual Carefulness reflects God’s precision in creating the world with perfect order and design. Being careful in our thoughts allows us to not be swayed by any wind of doctrine or be fooled by many words and vain philosophies.

6.  Intellectual Thoroughness reflects God’s completeness, as He leaves nothing unfinished or incomplete. As such, we should focus on a task to completion and not be distracted by our phones and the cares of this world.

7.  Open-Mindedness reflects God’s fairness and justice, as He listens to the prayers of all people and shows compassion to those who seek Him. The ability to see/understand someone else’s perspective is vital to learning and might just prove valuable as Truth Seekers.

8.    Intellectual Courage mirrors the courage Jesus showed when speaking the truth, even when it was unpopular. It also allows us to challenge our own thoughts on what we might believe that we know. We should have the courage to be Truth Seekers, wherever the Truth leads.

9.    Intellectual Tenacity reflects God’s faithfulness and perseverance, as He never gives up on His people. Doing hard things is virtuous and relies on all the other 8 virtues above. Seeing the challenge and not backing down must be learned. Working on a problem or project to fulfillment is something to be practiced, learned, and enhanced.

By developing these virtues, character traits, students grow in their ability to think, learn, and act in ways that honor God. And again, learning is not just about collecting facts—it’s about developing patterns of thinking that prepare individuals to face life’s challenges.
The Bible reminds us that challenges are inevitable. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Learning to think critically, solve problems, and approach difficulties with intellectual virtues is essential—not just for school, but for every area of life. Whether managing relationships, making decisions, or facing unexpected setbacks, the ability to think clearly, analyze situations, and persist through difficulties is crucial. The patterns of thinking developed at WCA—like breaking down complex problems, considering different perspectives, and applying knowledge to new situations—equip our students to navigate both everyday challenges and larger life obstacles. And take note of the second part of that verse…Jesus has overcome the world! And so again, by developing the intellectual virtues, we not only reflect the very nature of God, but we participate in Jesus’ overcoming of the world and it’s troubles by learning the patterns of problem-solving. We live in a Genesis 3 universe right now. It’s fallen and depraved…and there simply will be problems that need solving! Will our students be prepared to solve problems and do hard things? I pray they will. And by God’s grace we will do our best here at WCA to ensure that happens!

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus commands us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” How do we love the Lord with all our mind? Cultivating intellectual virtues is a way to fulfill this commandment. Using one’s mind to seek Truth, understand God’s creation, and think deeply about life’s questions is an act of worship. When students approach their studies with curiosity, diligence, and integrity, they honor God by using the gifts He has given them. Even subjects that seem, to many students, unrelated to faith—like math, science, or literature—become opportunities to discover the order, beauty, and creativity of God’s design. Remember, as Abraham Kuyper said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” It is ALL sacred! God created our brains and our minds and for us to NOT cultivate our minds/brains would be a slap in the face of our Creator. That is why at WCA we teach “apologetically.” The word “apologetics” comes from the word “defense” in 1 Peter 3:15 where Peter says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” And so we teach math and science and literature (and every other subject) as subject to the authority of Christ. We teach subjects and topics within subjects such that students understand that these topics ONLY make sense from a Biblical worldview and don’t make sense from any other worldview.

Moreover, intellectual virtues enable individuals to serve others and share God’s love. For example, intellectual courage empowers people to stand up for their beliefs, while intellectual humility allows them to listen and learn from others. Attentiveness and carefulness help individuals notice the needs of those around them, and tenacity gives them the perseverance to make a difference. In this way, developing intellectual virtues not only benefits individuals but also equips them to fulfill their calling to love and serve others.

While students may not use every fact or formula they learn in school, the intellectual virtues and patterns of thinking they develop are essential for success, personal growth, and spiritual maturity. Like the character traits of a good neighbor or citizen, intellectual virtues shape who a person becomes, influencing their actions, decisions, and relationships. By cultivating curiosity, open-mindedness, humility, courage, tenacity, attentiveness, carefulness, autonomy, and thoroughness, students reflect God’s character and learn to love Him with all their minds. Ultimately, the purpose of education is not just to gain knowledge but to grow into the person God created each individual to be—someone who uses their mind to seek truth, solve problems, serve others, and bring glory to God.

Soli deo gloria!