The consistent life is a blessed life….
A consistent walk is a maturing walk..
One of the biggest areas parents fall short in when they are raising their children is in the matter of consistency. For example, when you say something to your children does it have meaning? Will it actually eventuate or happen?
When a child is told something and they don’t do it, do you give them the count, “one two three..and so on?” Then that parent does it again and the child still hasn’t done what they have been asked to do. So then the voice rises from the parent, still nothing from the child however in obedience. Finally the parent really threatens and carries on. The child thinks its getting close to having to do what they should do but still test to see how far they can go.
The parent finally acts!
Now the child knows it’s time. But all the other previous words and carry on meant northing to them, because the parent didn’t carry out their words in the first place.
That child grows to learn that what is said doesn’t happen. No consequences so ignore!
So too in our walk with God we need to be consistent. Many young immature believers want to know the ‘short cuts’ to spiritual maturity. There are none!
The Christian walk is a ‘walk’, it’s a steady and “consistent” growth that ends in maturity. Jesus tells us in John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me
The word abide means to put down strong roots like a tree. Immature and inconsistent believers are always uprooting from one situation to another. “The boss is too hard, the teacher always picks on me, and this marriage is not working…” Resulting in uprooted inconsistent lives that never mature.
If you plant a tree and then dig it up, plant it again, dig it up again and so on that tree, besides never maturing because it has not strong roots, eventually begins to shrivel and die.
How does one become consistent?
An example for us to learn from and to study is Enoch.
Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him
The Bible tells us that he ‘walked’ with God. He was consistent in his relationship with God. He was not perfect because no one is. But each day he kept in step with God, not shirking the storms and trials that swept over his life.
Remember he lived at a time the Bible tells us when every man’s thoughts were continually evil.
Fathers, mothers, are you consistent with your children? Do you carry out what you promise? This also means when you promise the kids chocolate or to go to the zoo – it is to happen! Your word or lack of it, is the character your children attach to anything you do by it.
How is your walk with God? Are you digging down into the strength and trust of God by staying the path, by not bailing when it gets a little difficult?
My prayer for you is that you become a steady, mature, consistent man or woman of God whose life is imbedded in God’s promises. Whose life reflects a steadfastness that brings blessing to your children, and to your own life as you ‘walk’ each day with God.
James 5:12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.
Let your yes be a yes and your no be a no. As a result, your children and others around you will be blessed by the strength of your relationship with the Lord God almighty for you faith and trust in Him never waivers, even in the most difficult of storms!
How awesome for a child to know that when dad or mum promises something, it will happen!