consistency (the lack thereof)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

I am not consistent. As I take a step back and look at my life, I am a little discouraged at just how many areas of my life lack discipline and consistency. My workout schedule, my diet, quiet time with God, my prayerlife, keeping in touch with family and friends, housecleaning, being on time, and I am sure this list could go on and on the longer I sit here. Oh, and by the way, for those of you who keep up with Josh's blog, his post on laziness in no way spurred on this post. I think that God is doing a great work in our lives, separately and as a unit, and it's exciting to see how He points things out to us, before we even communicate it to each other! God, the masterful orchestrator. Marvelous.

As I've pondered this detrimental trait I've acquired, I realize that consistency is something that I greatly admire in another person. When I see someone else who has the gift of discipline in anything, no matter how big or small, I marvel at it and wish that I were that way. The verse above is what has been coming to my mind lately as I think about what I can do to change this about myself. In looking at a couple different translations you could swap out "endurance" with "perseverence", or "patience". Patience is a word I heard often while growing up. My parents knew the importance of this virtue and did their share of ingraining upon my head with it. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I hear it or strive to acquire it, it doesn't seem to get any easier to have it within my possession. The "I-want-what-I-want-and-I-want-it-now" society that we live in doesn't help. Failure to be consistent leads to discouragement which leads to giving up. This verse in Hebrews reminds me that even though I am constantly fighting the lack of consistency, I need to keep on keeping on. I may not have a perfect record. In reviewing it you will definitely see where I've fallen down and had to get up again......and again and again. But I guess that's the point. I do get up. That's the important part, and that's not giving up. That's keeping on.