Consistency
CONTEXT
Over the last year and a half, I have been on a roller coaster. I have felt thrills of immense highs and the pain of extreme lows. I have experienced blindsiding betrayals, lies, and manipulation, and I have encountered the hands of the Healer offering redemption, open doors, and transformation. I have known the heart wrenching temptations of unforgiveness and bitterness and prayed the liberating prayers of forgiveness and blessing.
And through it all I have been reminded and grounded in this one truth: God is faithful. Even when others are not. Especially when I am not. God is true to His Word, perfect in power, and completely steadfast in remaining with me. He is Defender, Redeemer, Strong Tower, Liberator, and He doesn’t change from being these things. What I’ve learned is that our experiences don’t dictate God’s faithfulness, but rather God’s consistency defines our lives.
In other words, the Lord is consistent, and the more I discover this, the more He invites me to join in His consistency. And the beautiful thing is that the more I say “Yes” to His invitation, the more I find that His faithfulness empowers me to be faithful. And the more He strengthens me to be faithful the more I can stand up against attacks, fight back against lies, remain anchored in His Word, and march forward toward His promise.
This year (2024), I believe the Lord has given me the word “consistency” and in doing so, has called me to a posture that not only encourages me to victory, but gives me the resolve to not give up.
Unfortunately, when I look around, I see far too many giving up at the slightest form of resistance. Opposition, small or big, is quickly referred to as persecution. Any setbacks turn into opportunities to quit. When plans don’t go exactly as one thought, it’s a waste of time. And worst of all, if something is said with a politicized trigger word, people throw the baby out with the bath water.
On the other side of the spectrum, rather than throwing in the towel in the midst of difficulty, extreme defenses have been utilized. Canceling, judgments, generalizations, violence, polarizing, and villainizing all fit the types of coping we see in our world.
When it all boils down to it, our culture is screaming, “We want what is easy, no matter the cost or effect on others, and we want it now!” Convenience has debilitated us and distracted us from the calling to be steadfast, faithful, and consistent. The pursuit of what is most comfortable has deterred us from the true mission at hand, and we are seeing the costly effects of shallow discipleship, unhealthy structures, and false appearances both in the world and the church.
When we look at the stark reality of what surrounds us, it’s hard not to feel hopeless, powerless, and stuck. But may I propose what lies before us is not an impossible journey, but a canvas upon which the Creator calls us to paint with His redemptive, healing, and transformative blood. Might I suggest that the opportunity at hand is not one of retreating into ease or reacting in violence, but responding from the vision of God’s calling to be with Him and to be consistent.
After all, when we look to His Word, the invitation to be consistent echoes all throughout the Scriptures. God’s call for His people (through Joshua) as they entered the Promised Land was this:
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7 (NIV)
We read about the calling to the early Christian Church in the midst of true opposition and persecution:
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
And here’s the beauty: when we don’t turn to the right or left, when we unswervingly hold to the hope of Christ, when we remain consistent: an antidote to the temptations and travesties of our world is produced in and through us, revealing the Good News of Jesus’ faithfulness to all around us. John Scott said it this way:
“The gospel is a jewel, and a consistent Christian life is like the setting in which the gospel jewel is displayed.” - John Stott
I’d like to invite you to consider these antidotes as I unpack some things the Lord has shown me and is inviting me into as well.
INTEGRITY OVER APPEARANCES
The first invitation is that consistency calls us to the secure and straight path of integrity. When we walk in consistency, we don’t play pretend. We don’t put on masks or act differently when the camera isn’t on us. We treat people the same no matter what or where or when. When we choose consistency, we prioritize doing the right thing even when nobody's looking. When we cling to a lifestyle of faithfulness we are more concerned with people than with programs. When we remain steadfast we value depth and quality over the shallow display of quantity.
Consistency beckons us to the lifestyle of exploring the depths of God’s love, deepening that love for others, and displaying that love to one person at a time. Faithful living seeks to cultivate good soil in our individual hearts and promotes this type of fertile ground in others for God’s seed to multiply (Mark 4). Consistency places more concern on radical obedience to the Lord rather than trying to become famous for the outcomes.
The author of Proverbs wrote it this way: Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)
As I look upon this year, the invitation to be consistent far outweighs any temptation to appear a certain way. My consistency with Jesus reminds me that I don’t have it altogether, that I’m far from perfect, and that I’m always in need. My consistency at the gym, sleeping, resting, and eating well reminds me that my health is important and I need to keep working hard to maintain a good rhythm of well-being. My consistency in doing things that I ought to be doing (reading, writing, creating, resolving conflicts) even when I don’t want to reminds me that sometimes the best things for me are not about the temptation of what feels good, but about the obedience of what is good.
In short, our culture is infatuated with appearing a certain way and consistency equips us with the antidote to the temptation of acting like we have arrived or like we are the hero. When we hold to consistency with Christ, we stand firm in a shaky society. When we cling to appearances and masquerades, we have no foundation at all. Billy Graham said this way:
“Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” - Billy Graham
One of the things the Lord has been reminding me of is my Rule of Life that I’ve been thoughtful and prayerful to create with Him. It’s a set of guidelines and activities that are anchored in my core values that try to provide support, remembrance, and empowerment for me to be who God has called me to be.
In other words, it answers the question: what do I need to do in order to be who God has called me to be? As you think about this year, what do you need to do in order to be who God has called you to be? The more we can be consistent with these things, the more we will overcome the temptation to appear like we have it altogether and instead press into the calling to pursue God’s call on our lives with integrity and purity of heart.
PRAYER OVER PLATFORMS
The second beckoning of consistency is to prioritize the prayer closet over the platform. Our world and our churches are absolutely fixated on celebrity and status. The platform is not only one of the favorite idols, but it is the life goal for many. Whether the platform is through social media, politics, entertainment, or any number of other industries building fame, people look to the stage more than the behind-the-scenes.
Maybe you know this, but when we see icebergs in the ocean we really can only see about 10% of their mass revealed above the surface. The other 90% of an iceberg is underneath the surface. This tells us that although the appearance and platform of these large chunks of ice seems big, there’s plenty more than meets the eye.
The call to consistency places a higher value on prayer, preparation, and the faithful lingering in God’s Presence than self-promotion, platform time, and simply trying to get by on our own strength. The call to faithfulness looks like Jesus who often withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16), and from this place of prayer, He was continually reminded of His mission, direction, and next steps. In fact, Jesus tells us that He only did and said what the Father was doing and saying (John 5).
Jesus’ ministry not only displayed this through His actions, but this was central to His teachings as well. When Jesus taught the disciples about prayer and how to pray, He warned them against doing things in public in order to be seen and heard by others. Rather, He passionately called His followers to pray in secret and to practice things in a manner that others would not know about (Matt. 6).
Jesus didn’t shy from platforms, but He also didn’t worship them. In fact, when platforms were offered to Him by the enemy, He responded in prayerful and authoritative declarations of God’s Word. When He was on platforms, He used them to proclaim God’s Word, to usher in justice and compassion, and to call all people unto Himself through repentance, healing, forgiveness, grace, and love.
In this way, I would suggest that Jesus shows us that the most important platform we have is the prayer closet and when we prioritize our time of communing with the Father, we are better empowered to use the platforms of this world for real change. When platforms are used without preparation and depth, there’s a momentary impact. A lot of people can accrue likes, subscribers, and fill arenas. It may lead to some fun and a common experience, but only those who have experienced the transformation of the prayer closet can produce an anointing that will lead to eternal impact, everlasting joy, and an on-going encounter with the King of kings and His great multitude of witnesses.
Leonard Ravenhill wrote it this way: “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” - Leonard Ravenhill
When we fail to pray and succeed in ‘playing’, we end up straying onto platforms with no power to make any impact. When we anchor ourselves deeply in the posture of prayer without ceasing, our lives become a walking, talking, breathing prayer meeting and encounter of the Presence of God. Everywhere we go becomes an actual platform of transformation.
In the summer of 2010, I worked a temporary job in a warehouse packaging chrome polish. It was hot, monotonous, and extremely exhausting. But I look back on that summer and I believe the Lord taught me how to choose connection through the menial tasks of life. I believe God taught me how to pray that summer. Even though I had been a Christian for many years at that point, I don’t think I truly knew what it meant to live out the calling from 1 Thessalonians:
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18 (NIV)
Today, the temptation to run to platforms or focus on flashy ministry topics is painfully real and powerful. Yet, the invitation to consistent communion and saturating my life in prayer is even more real and more powerful. And the simple fact is that when I slow to listen, when I pause in the middle of emails, when I reflect deeper with the Lord about tasks, when I observe God’s move through the everyday actions, I find myself responding from God’s truth, grace, and love rather than reacting from my own stuff.
I definitely don’t have this altogether, which is why I’m grateful the Lord continues to invite me into consistency with Him. What about for you? Where do your values lie? Are the temptations of the platform and power more enticing than the transformation of the prayer closet? Are there idols that mean more to you than simply abiding in Christ? I believe the Lord is calling His people to a deeper place of prayer and as we join Him, we will better be empowered to respond from His Presence and Power rather than react from our lack of both.
DOING GOOD OVER QUITTING
The third call of consistency is the prompting to not give up. Sadly, our world and many believing communities are built on quitting when the going gets tough. Interestingly, the value system of many is built upon doing whatever will benefit them. This is ultimately how “good” is defined and it has led to an immensely grotesque society of dog-eat-dog antics and utilizing others purely for the sake of our own advantage. And then—as if that isn’t bad enough—when, after all of this use of each other takes place, it doesn’t work out, we end up just quitting.
The art of canceling one another, pushing out those who don’t agree, and vehemently generalizing with judgment all tend to be included in these actions, and “doing good” is no longer what we’re about. Rather, we seek our own good and give up if it’s too hard.
Unsurprisingly, the call to the early Church still echoes today. Paul wrote it this way to both the Corinthians and Galatians:
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Cor. 15:58 (NIV)
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)
The invitations to stand firm, let nothing move you, fully work for the Lord, not give up, and continue to do good are all just as prevalent now as they were thousands of years ago. Yet, the glorious call to consistency empowers us to allow these invitations to become our lifestyles as we choose to remain in Christ’s love and overflow in doing good. These actions are not rooted in platforms or appearances, but rather they are deeply anchored in prayer and integrity.
In fact, it’s when our hearts are devoted to consistency with Christ that we are transformed from the temptation of our age. Our world is caught up in the philosophy that if we perform (according to the standard of others and society) we will earn love and status. This leads to the never ending pursuit of being known by the ever-changing identities of our time. It guides us to constantly speak, think, act, work, and live as our world defines. It directs us away from anything consistent and leaves us exhausted from the cycle of perfectionism, feeling unsafe, and hoping to feel accepted (no matter the cost).
The transformation found in Jesus’ call to be consistent with Him is one that takes us from striving (doing things to earn love) to abiding (doing things because we are loved). This means that as we consistently abide in Christ and Christ abides in us, we are empowered to unyieldingly anchor ourselves in His love as our source, motivation, and measure. Our abiding fills us with everything we need to do good and not give up when it’s difficult. We know this because our abiding is rooted in the truth that Jesus didn’t give up as He formed this connection, and He calls us to know that nothing worthwhile is easy.
Therefore, our call in consistency is to do good from knowing we are loved and to not give up, no matter how difficult or impossible things may become. The simple fact is that if we don’t give up, we win. And when we choose lives of consistency in prayer, in God’s Word, in worship, in acts of service, in doing good, and in obedience to God’s transformational process, He reminds us that we don’t ever have to throw in the towel. His victory is eternal, present, and strengthens our resolve to keep going, to stand firm, to fight the right enemies, to do the next right thing, and to never stop pursuing what is good, just, and holy.
I believe John Wesley summarized this invitation beautifully in stating,
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” - John Wesley
Each day, I spend some time asking the Lord what is one thing I can do today to show love to my neighbor. That can be my closest neighbors (my wife and son), that can be my next door neighbors, that can be neighbors streets away, that can staff members, teammates, or any number of other people who I know or will encounter throughout the day. Interestingly, when the Lord reminds me of His commands in the Scriptures or speaks directly about a way I can love others, I always get the chance to choose consistency by doing good even if it’s difficult. And it’s just like God that when I do good when it’s hard or I don’t want to, He blesses me and those around me far beyond we can imagine.
What are the things God is calling you to do in order that you might do all the good you can to all the people you can as long as you ever can? You may just find that when you commit to consistently obeying these small and big directives from the Lord that His full life will be your experience and the encounter of those to whom you do good. You may just find that your resolve, strength, and empathy are built. You may just discover that God has given you all you need to do good and He loves you fully before, during, and after you do it. He’s just that good and His love is just that immense that all of our games of striving, giving up, and criticisms are replaced with abiding, transformation, and supernatural strength to do what is good.
DON’T JUST HEAR IT, DO IT
As great as this all sounds (or terrifying…), it’s one thing to read this and say, “Consistency! That’s wonderful…” It’s a whole other thing to read this and respond with our lives, words, actions, and thoughts. James wrote it this way to the early followers of Jesus:
“22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:22-25 (NIV)
I’m not saying my words are the Word. I am saying that if anything from this blog is anchored in God’s Word that we should not merely listen (or just read) but we should do what it says. We should continue in the Word, not forgetting the Word, but doing it.
The more we can be consistent in doing God’s Word the more we will find ourselves standing firm in a world caught up in quitting and canceling. The more we abide faithfully in Christ the more we will find ourselves doing good not for the status, appearance, or earning of love. The more we persist in the prayer closet the more we will promote the Lord’s throne room rather than the platforms of this planet. The more we stay consistent, the more we will know this truth: God’s faithfulness is not dictated by our experiences but rather His consistency defines our lives.
Because of God’s faithfulness and unto that consistency, I write. Amen.
