It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, so I thought I would jump back into it with a post on consistency. It seemed fitting.
With the ever-shifting tides of technology and our sand-castle economy, consistency is one of the rarest of natural resources to be found today. Along with her close cousin, integrity, consistency is sought after in brands, companies, products, people, churches, and leaders. It is rarely found.
There are many reasons that we aren’t consistent. Here are four that come to mind:
1. Too busy
Really we are never too busy to be consistent. This is a lousy excuse. All—yes, as in 100%—of the people I know who are admirably consistent are also very busy. There is no such thing as a competent leader who is not busy.
What this really is a lack of good prioritizing. We can only be consistent in those things that we have declared to be of true value to us. This declaration can be conscious or unconscious, but we have made the declaration nonetheless. If you are struggling with “being there” consistently for your family, it’s because they are not a top priority for you. Even if you say they are, they really aren’t.
2. Too disorganized
This is closer to reality that the last reason. At least we’re admitting that we don’t have a good method for managing the craziness that life throws at us on a daily basis. If we are constantly trying to “dig out,” we aren’t going be able to be consistent in anything. The measured steps of consistent living are interrupted by the tripping hazards left behind by our disorganization and poor time management.
3. Lack of confidence
I’ve already discussed this a length in my post, 3 Reasons We Don’t Take a Stand. In case you missed it (I’ll forgive you—this time), I point out that we lose confidence because we don’t trust that God will take care of us even if all others desert us.
This is true of consistency, too. Consistency takes courage. We have to have the confidence to keep going even if we face challenges, because we MUST keep going whether the path is easy or difficult.
4. No center
Christians have no problem acknowledging God as the source of all true love. God is love. But another of God’s important characteristics is His immutability. That is, He is not subject or susceptible to change.
Shouldn’t we desire our lives to reflect all aspects of God’s character, including that of being immutable? I believe this is only achieved if our center, the hub of our lives, is God Himself. Call it the martyr principle.
Is there any more extreme example of consistency than someone who is willing to die for their faith? I would add the caveat that the martyr’s death should be peaceful, not violent as in the case of a suicide bomber. Meek consistency most closely reflects the heart of God.