A few weeks ago when my daughters were out of school for winter vacation, I woke and began my day. I ate breakfast, went to the gym, made some calls to some clients and then, about halfway into my day, I realized I had forgotten to brush my teeth. (Don’t judge me!) On a normal weekday, I get the kids ready for school—do their hair, feed them, get the little one dressed, and so on. Our mornings are very structured and meticulously timed. However, when they were out of school, my routine was thrown off and the things that I was accustomed to doing the same way everyday were temporarily altered. This caused me to forget something as normal as brushing my teeth in the morning.
This anecdote helps reveal an important lesson about consistency. I have found that most people know the correct things to do and genuinely want to do what’s right. They want to be effective. They want to be the best that they can be. So why do so many of us struggle? The answer: consistency—steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, or form. Allow me to elaborate with an example. When my mentor was teaching me how to study the Bible, I would listen to him and the other men that he studied with and feel like they were reading an entirely different text. I was in awe of how they were able to come to certain revelations. It seemed to come so easy for them. Soon, my awe turned to frustration. Why couldn’t I draw the same conclusions or lessons? Of course, I didn’t take into account the time they had put into acquiring such knowledge over the course of their lives. The key factor for my progress was that I didn’t allow my frustration to hinder my progress. Rather, it fueled it. I was determined to know the Word as they did. From that day forward I have read or studied my Word everyday. Yes, EVERY day! I don’t say this to be boastful, I say it to emphasize the value and benefits of consistency. Frustration, pain, and struggles can blind us to the purpose of the process. What if your purpose is to be birthed from your place of frustration? What if your frustration is equivalent to the labor pains of giving birth to your destiny? There is a level of frustration that builds up in us when we are not operating the way we were designed. The only way to remove that frustration is to implement measures of consistency in activities that directly counteract what led you to this place of frustration. In the prelude to one of the Apostle Paul’s most brilliant orations he said, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)
Here are 3 steps to aid you in your goal towards being consistent. Just remember: accountable, available, attainable.
1. ACCOUNTABLE
Find someone to hold you accountable. To continue the birthing metaphor, you may need a spiritual midwife to help you be more consistent and to birth what God has placed inside of you. It’s ok if you can’t do it by yourself. We were never intended to do everything alone. To be honest we were never intended to do most things alone. Find someone you can trust with your vision and who you can trust to hold you to a high standard.
2. AVAILABLE
When in your day are you available to yourself? In other words, do you have time carved out in the day to develop or strengthen your personal relationship with God? Only through the careful dissection of the Word can you advance a specific goal in relation to the pursuit of your purpose. Write down a daily schedule and pencil in some “purpose” time in your day.
3. ATTAINABLE
Planning to do a lot of tasks in one day may seem like getting ahead, but if you don’t complete every task (which is likely going to be the case) you could end up frustrating yourself and then quitting. This puts you right back where you started. Do something, but make your goals attainable. As you begin to experience success with your attainable goals, you will be more likely to press forward.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” ~Aristotle