Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but today as I was taking my walk… I feel like I use that phrase a lot. Apparently, I do some of my best thinking when I’m taking my morning walks. Or is it that I do my best listening then? Either way it sure fuels my desire to get back in and write.
Today I was sort of listening to a podcast and thinking about it being cold outside. I bundle up and usually cope just fine. However, some days when I’m facing the right direction an extra cold wind will whip across my face, make my eyes water and nearly take my breath away. One of those little gusts got me today and for a split second I thought “how and why do I do this so often.”
And that’s the moment. In that same split second I just felt the answer in my bones. It’s like someone else talking to me. A voice, not audible but not me, says, “You don’t give yourself a chance to not do it.” Wherever that comes from it’s accurate.
I lay my walking clothes out the night before, and I plan to walk. It’s already scheduled into my day. I do have some limits. If it’s raining too hard or the temperature is below about 25 degrees, I don’t go. I get frustrated on those days. Life can occasionally get in the way and an appointment or the kids being home will throw me off. But ultimately, my walks are important to me (for several reasons), so I make time for them. I don’t love the cold, but neither do I care enough to let it stop me from something that I get so much benefit from.
I feel like God is really close and opens my eyes during my walk time. It’s kind of like good chocolate, you get a taste and right away you want more. Today my focus during that time stayed on the importance of consistency. If I only walked on warm, sunny days, it wouldn’t be nearly as effective.
If we only exercise on great days or if we only eat healthy food some of the time, we can’t be surprised when we don’t feel good or don’t lose weight. If we only practice a sport or an instrument during actual practice, we’re not going to become great. If we don’t consistently show up and do what we say we’re going to do, people won’t involve us or trust us. If we bail out on plans every time we make them, the invitations will quit coming. Consistency matters.
It matters to our mental and spiritual lives as well. We all understand the concept of if you hear something long enough you start to believe it. If we think negatively for long enough we see the world negatively. If we train ourselves to look for the positive consistently we can see that, too.
If we consistently spend time seeking God, we’re going to find him. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” All your heart takes more than one try. Consistency takes all of your heart.
When we consistently pray, we’re going to have answers. Consistently reading the Word of God helps us know and understand it better. You don’t have to go to church every Sunday to be a Christian, but consistently going to worship and praise with other believers makes you a better one.
In 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul says “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Are we being steadfast, unwavering and consistent in our relationship with God? Do we care enough to make that relationship as important as all others? Do we read and pray and obey when the conditions aren’t ideal or sleep seems more appealing?
Some days it is hard to anchor in and be immovable in your faith. Satan is actively trying to trip us up. But if we want to see positive results in anything – be it in our physical shape, our skill at a particular task, our attitude or our walk with Christ, then consistency is key. We have to keep at it on challenging days and when we’re around challenging people. We have to keep making it a priority, keep showing up and keep doing the work.
Don’t be surprised if it takes all of your heart, but God promises that we won’t labor in vain. Prayer, reading Scripture, listening for His voice, obeying, sometimes being still – it’s always worth it. Consistency will gradually make it easier. Let’s consistently live for Jesus everyday and watch how much He changes us and the world around us.
