But, I don’t feel like it!

My doctor has told me a dozen times that a key part of maintaining healthy vitality in my life is exercise. He says just walking at a good pace is all I need to do. “Yeah, yeah, OK,” I think.  On Monday I decided to try a walk through a local park. After 30 minutes of brisk walking, I felt good!  Now the choice is to make that a consistent thing I do.

One walk every now and then won’t make any difference but if I will find the discipline to get on my walking shoes even when I would rather read a book I can hope to lose a few pounds, feel a little better, and enjoy more energy.  I am certain that when I put on my walking shoes one of these days my first thought will be “But, I don’t feel like it!”  What choice will I make in that moment?

Disicpline helps 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!  
Consistency = Favorable Outcome.
Consistency meets and overcomes the variables that come our way.

Consistent practice of our faith is important to becoming Christ-like, experiencing the “life to full” promised by Jesus.  Too many times to remember I was told in my pastoral ministry, “My life is no different since I accepted Christ. I still have the same problems, deal with the same old stuff every day.”  Jesus does not call us to be marginally nicer people.  He invites us to learn the life of faith, to be loving, forgiving, joyful, and filled with hope.  That kind of life will not just happen to us because we think some positive thoughts.  Genuine Chrisitian is muscular, inviting us to daily practices of spiritual disciplines such as gathering with other Believers, taking time to meditate and pray, engaging our mind in worship, presenting ourselves to the Lord regularly in quiet contemplation.

It is easy to confuse an emotional high with real spiritual engagement. God is present when we sense His presence in our hearts and He is just as much present when we are simply acting out of obedience, focused not on ‘what’s in it for me’ but rather on “You are God and worthy of my praise.”  

Our experience of the Christian life will vary because we are influenced by pain, by circumstances, by the news of the world, by the response of our spouse, by our hormones and moods! But, God is unchanging and His work in us goes on quietly and persistently when we open channels into our life through which His Spirit flows. 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.

God inspired Paul to write to us about the change that comes from the Spirit’s residence in us. "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)

Don’t get discouraged if spiritual growth is sometimes slow. Look away from yourself and to the promise that Jesus made to us. “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!  One writer calls that ‘a long obedience in the same direction.'

Here’s a word from the Word. May the Word inspire 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) 

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

My King Forever

 

You gave Your life for mine

Nailed to the cross You crucified

All my sin and shame

It was washed by Your mercy

 

You are the treasure I find

My reason for living

So let my life become an offering

To the One who is worthy

 

All praise to the Lord most high

All praise to the One who saved my life

All praise to Jesus Christ

High King of heaven my King forever

 

You stormed the gates of my heart

The veil in between was torn apart

Now You hold the keys to the grave

‘Cause You bring things to life

You roll stones away

I lift my hands up lay my whole life down

My whole life down before You

I lift my hands up lay my whole life down

My whole life now is for You

 

Brian Johnson | Ethan Hulse | Josh Baldwin

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