By Margo Woodward
DO you realize how important consistency is? Consistency plays a huge role in every area of our lives. Our spiritual health most certainly is dependent upon our consistency.
As Christians, we cannot overlook the importance of consistency as it relates to our time with God. Just as we don’t eat physical food weekly and still expect to function at peak performance, we cannot expect to sporadically spend time with God and still function at our best.
Functioning at our best in life requires consistent time with God.
Though the foundation of our grace given salvation is based upon relationship – relationship with God through Christ; the health of this relationship is dependent upon our consistency. The state of our relationship with God sets the tone for every other relationship we have.
It’s sometimes easy to view our relationship with God as though it doesn’t require time and effort, but that’s just not the case. No doubt, God’s love toward us is always perfect and unconditional – regardless of our consistency; however, we are in need of consistency.
Spending consistent time with God reminds us of all that we have in God. It is imperative for us to keep God’s promises at the forefront of our hearts and minds, as we’re living in a dark world. It is imperative for our minds to be continually renewed with God’s truth.
We need consistent time with God in order to see things as though they truly are.
Neglecting our relationship with God makes us vulnerable. Not only will we find ourselves spiritually malnourished, but we will also find ourselves more vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. As children of God, we can never forget that we have an enemy who constantly seeks to deceive us. Daily, there are spiritual traps set all around us.
Consistency with God is the key to spotting and avoiding them.
How do you view consistency?
Often times, our inability to remain consistent in our walk with God lies in our thinking patterns. It’s easy to subconsciously view consistency through a negative lens. It is important for us to be intentional and mindful with regards to how we even think about consistency.
For instance, if you think that consistency is hard then you will likely find it difficult to remain consistent. However, if you retrain your thinking and begin to consider consistency as reasonable and achievable, you will likely find that your consistency will improve.
Your perceptions will inevitably affect your performance.
Don’t let negative thinking interfere with your spiritual consistency.
As you begin to put effort into becoming more consistent, here are a few tips to consider:
Begin to take inventory of your time. Take inventory of your time and spot opportunities for improvement. Be honest about what you’re currently doing with the
time God has blessed you with and remain committed to improvement. Ephesians
5:15-16 provides instruction on walking wisely, not foolishly, and redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.
Observe your relationships. Focus on the people that you are spending time with.
Are they consistent in their walk with God? If not, it may be wise to make adjustments
with your relationships. We are greatly influenced by those we spend time with. Consider I Corinthians 15:33: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Note your routines. What habits do you currently have in place? What things do you
currently do without giving much thought? Pay attention to the habits that need to be
changed. Get specific.
Visualize. Take the time to visualize what you are after. Visualize yourself prioritizing
your relationship with God, walking in healthy habits and routines. Can you picture
yourself being consistent in those things? Often, before we walk it out, we need to
visualize a clear mental picture.
Seek Clarity. Take the time to get clear on what you’re after. Why is consistency so imperative for you? In what areas will God settle and strengthen you? Consider your particular struggles. Get clear on the spiritual benefits that you’ll gain by your consistency.
Overall, before we begin to grow in consistency, we must take the time to get our minds right toward it. Adjust your perspective toward consistency and begin viewing it as beneficial and achievable. Allow yourself the time to reflect upon your life as well as your current routines, so you can gain a clear picture on why consistency will enable you to move forward into all that God has for you. Consistency is key. | Read another article by the same writer |
The writer is an entrepreneur and author of Break Free and Live! She has a master’s degree in strategic communications from Oklahoma State University and is an adjunct professor at Tulsa Community College.
