by Barbara Latta
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and
not to men knowing that from the Lord you
will receive the reward of the
inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV).
 |
| Consistency is the key to change |
Are you ever frustrated because change in your life avoids you? Do you have hit and miss regularity in tasks, study or goals?
I have struggled with working in consistency for a long time. Maybe I had too many projects, or maybe I was just experiencing lack of discipline.
One day while
reading about laboring to rest in Hebrews, I meditated on that lesson and
thought more deeply about God’s rest. Resting means listening, absorbing and turning
off everything but God’s Word.
When I rested, I could hear. And what I heard in my spirit
was, Consistency is the key.
Consistency is the key? What does that mean, Lord?
Then I remembered that I had been asking Him why my life was
filled with so much frustration. It was because I wasn’t disciplined and
consistent in anything I was doing. My writing was in bits and pieces, not in a
scheduled time like I hear all the successful writing teachers say we should
do. Bible reading was when I had time in the morning, or a quick devotion at
lunch and the exercise…well let’s just say the treadmill makes a good storage
rack.
Consistency and diligence can be twin characteristics. According
to the dictionary, consistency is harmony or conduct of practice with
profession[1]
and the word diligence is defined as steady, earnest and energetic effort:
persevering application [2].
My loving heavenly Father was telling me that achievement depended
on steadfastness in whatever goal is being pursued.
Paul lived a life of consistent discipline. Even when he was
terrorizing Christians, he never wavered from his goal. His misplaced passion
pushed him toward what he thought was a defense of God. After encountering
Christ, that same passion was now guided in the right direction. When he was
persecuted, he didn’t give in. He didn’t forget the task God had laid upon his
shoulders and the world at that time was turned upside down because of his
influence. Diligence in his work caused him to write most of the New Testament
and his words are still impacting us today.
He wrote from prison. Chains and bonds didn’t stop him. He
continued to travel. Shipwrecks and storms didn’t stop him. He was told to keep
quiet. Threats didn’t stop him.
He pushed through the hardships of life and pressed toward
the prize of the high calling of Christ (Philippians 3:14).
We are all given a high calling from Christ. We are not the
Paul’s and Peter’s but we do have a sphere of influence. What we do in our
personal lives will spill over into relationships. Constant faithfulness in
following Christ and His Words will determine how powerful that impression will
be.
The most consistent person who ever lived was Jesus. We have
no better example of life and discipline. When people were pulling him in every
direction, He still took the time to spend with His Father because it was the
most important thing in His life—even when it meant losing sleep and praying
all night (Luke 6:12).
If consistency and diligence reign, it’s easier to put
priorities in order. When Christ is the most important person in our lives, we
can hear what He is saying. Consistency drowns out distractions, strengthens
resolve against attacks and builds new habits that can last a lifetime.
The power of consistency has shown me the key to success,
and a rewarded life has been my prize.
What have you learned about consistency in your life? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
This post is an excerpt from my contribution in the Lighthouse Bible Studies compilation, The Power to Make a Difference which is a collection of short Bible studies written by 27 authors. It is available at Amazon and Lighthouse Bible Studies.
Visit my Amazon author page here.
No comments:
Post a Comment