by Shayla Asselin
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:58
Recently, I came in contact with someone that I really looked up to spiritually. I hadn’t seen or spoken to her in several years. She was still very nice and kind, that was one of the reasons I admired her, but she was far from the godly example I had once looked up to. A few hours later, I was still thinking about her. I kept asking myself, “How did she get there? She seemed so consistent.” Then it dawned on me, she wasn't consistent, she was complacent. I had mistaken the one for the other.
Have you ever been there? You wake up one day, and your consistency has turned into complacency. It can happen so slowly. I know from personal experience. I was still reading my Bible, but I had quit studying it. I still prayed, but it was right before I closed my eyes to sleep. I still went to church and raised my hands, but there was no worship in my heart. I found myself going-through-the-motions. I realized this after I met that lady I mentioned earlier. That realization was just the jolt I needed to reevaluate what I was doing with my life.
I also realized that my consistency with God is directly related to my commitment to Him. This troubled me. I realized just how complacent I had become. When I began to check my spiritual inventory, I found many shelves empty. Most of my devotion was out of stock. My zeal wasn't even on the shelves. I only had a few days worth of joy left. The devil had just checked out the last of my joyful service. Sadly, I realized my inventory was spiritually bare.
I determined that day I would not be a victim of my complacency. I also decided I would not to allow my inconsistency to create a stumbling block for those around me.
When you find people who are walking a victorious Christian life, you will also find a consistency that is practiced behind the scenes. Growing up, I always heard, “I want to be a prayer warrior like Sis. So-and-so!” But I don't want to spend the same amount of hours praying that the sister spent talking to God. “I want to be a spiritual leader and influencer!” But I don’t want to set aside time daily to develop spiritual roots.
My Grandpa said, “If you want to be a pillar in the church, you have to be unmovable.”
Many are often disappointed with other people’s inconsistency, but give themselves a pass.
Imagine if the pastor sent out a message Sunday morning and said he didn’t feel like preaching that day so church was canceled. Oh how appalled and disappointed we would be. You might even question his consistency. But do we let feelings get in the way of whether or not we go to church?
If you were to be upset with your pastor, how much more should you be with yourself?
According to Merriam-Webster, consistent means “always acting or behaving in the same way.” Now I have met some people who were consistently inconsistent. But I have never met a successful person who was inconsistent.
Being consistent takes a lot of discipline and self-will. Consistency is cultivated. Good intentions never bring about a consistent life. A consistent life is not a just promise you make, but a path you choose to take. The only way to be a consistent person is to lay aside the flesh and become devoted. They say something worth having is worth fighting for.
Do you want a relationship with God? Stop making promises of doing better and just do better. Don't wait until the first of the week/month/year to start a devotional routine. Start today. Find that drive and passion. Be zealous. Make time to pray. Make time to read the Bible. Make time to attend His house. Become the person others come to for prayer. Be someone others can depend on and trust. If you want something bad enough, you’ll do what it takes. Someone said, “If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.”
Why not make today the day you start cultivating consistency?
Below is a few steps I used to evaluate my consistency:
1. Take spiritual inventory.
2. Make a list of areas you think need to be improved.
3. Set a time to read the Bible.
4. Set a time to pray.
5. Hold yourself accountable.
6. Find an accountability partner.
7. Do it even if you don't feel like it.
8. If you slip, don't quit.
Do you have any tips to help maintain a consistent life? If so, I'd love to hear them! Leave them in the comment section below and I'll add them to my list.
