When I was young, I was a high-jumper in track. Though my highest height jumped was just a smidge over six feet (some of the better high-schoolers in the day were jumping over 7 feet), I understood that it was best to start jumping at a height that challenged a bit, but was easy enough to get some practice jumps with confidence in. For me that was about 5'8". Right now, it would be about the height of my ottoman or grandson's tonka truck.
When we think about our discipleship, we need to remember that God makes it quite simple to enter a relationship with him. The bar is simply set at surrender and "Jesus is Lord" confession. But, the farther in we walk, as followers of Jesus, the more we see that there is to surrender and Lordship. The bar may seem to be getting higher. But, so is the strength and ability to do what must be done. It is as though the expectations increase for maturity, but so does the grace toward maturity.
The grace stops where desire to continue in surrender stops. I speak with people who have little desire to grow in the Lord and they wonder with stone faced and serious curiosity why they struggle so much just dealing with life. Frankly, there is not much need for grace, strength, mercy and power from the posture of an easy chair. But, ask God to stretch you and help you to see what "living by faith" might mean today- what surrender means for me and my life today- and you will be surprised at how high you can jump. Just remember, though, you are not jumping alone.