Consistency = favorable outcome

Chris Tomko, a personal coach and former Human Resources executive, (www.MS4HR.com) did a presentation at our church last night about how to find a job, not just any job, but a job you can feel good about doing. His major themes were consistency and focus. It takes intense focus to determine what work is aligned with your skills and your passion, and then consistent pursuit of that goal. Consistency will drive us to do what needs to be done whether we are ‘in the mood’ or not, whether it’s sunny or rainy, whether others applaud or ignore us! Chris then put up this formula – Consistency = Favorable Outcome. Consistency meets and overcomes the variables that come our way.

Listening to his presentation, my mind applied it to the Christian Walk. I cannot tell you how many times people have told me, “My life is no different since I accepted Christ. I still have the same problems, deal with the same old stuff every day.” They keep a profession of faith like a kind of eternal fire insurance, but their lives are, in fact, no different from those of unbelievers who live around them. Perhaps they are marginally nicer people, but no more likely to be loving, or forgiving, or joyful than the next guy. But, neither are their daily practices of spiritual disciplines. They are not faithful to gather with other Believers, in spite of what the Word teaches about the importance of it. Their Bibles gather dust from Sunday to Sunday. Their giving is out of their excess, if at all, not sacrificial and a first priority. They excuse their pet sins instead of getting serious with God about doing whatever is necessary to become holy in heart.

It’s not a surprise, then, that there is little in the way of the fruit of the Spirit enriching and beautifying their lives. Read this passage again. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:16-23, NIV)

Consistent practices of prayer, meditation, corporate worship, giving, serving, and Scripture intake will lead to the production of the evidence of Spirit life in you. It’s a divine law we can count on. The Holy Spirit in us will cause our lives to bear visible fruit. Jesus’ promise is “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, NIV) That word, ‘remain’ indicates a kind of consistency, enduring through hard times, sticking with the program!

Here’s a word from the Word. I pray that the truth in it inspires a new kind of consistency in us, for God’s glory.
"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT)

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Father in Heaven, thank you for being
“the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Your faithfulness and consistency are my Rock
of assurance, the foundation of my hope.

Lord, I do not want to be ‘on fire’ with enthusiasm today,
and caught up in my worldly pursuits tomorrow,
full of faith in this moment,
and shrinking into fear the next.

Teach me to be consistent, to endure,
to stay the course of the Walk to Heaven,
without looking around, longing to here and there,
fantasizing about what ‘could have been, if only.’

Jesus, save me from my sins.
Holy Spirit, lead me to holiness.
For your glory in all parts of my life,
May there be abundant Spiritual fruit. Amen