“Consistency is the foundation of virtue.” -Francis Bacon
“Look to make your course regular, that men may know beforehand what they may expect.” -Francis
Bacon
“A consistent man believes in destiny, a capricious
man in chance.” -Benjamin Disraeli
“Let your
character be kept up the very end, just as it began, and so be consistent.” -Horace
“Without consistency there is no moral strength.” -Owen
“The secret to success is constancy to
purpose.” -Benjamin Disraeli
Do you live a life of consistency? What do I mean? Well, let’s first
define the word and then see what God has to say on the matter.
Consistency is the ability to maintain a particular standard or repeat a particular task with minimal
variation. If you still don’t understand, here are some synonyms for consistency: steadiness, reliability, uniformity, evenness, stability, and regularity.
The Bible has several Scriptures on consistency:
- “Therefore,
my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor
is not in vain.” –1 Corinthians 15:58
Since we now know and understand the truth about what Christ Jesus
has done and will do for us, we should maintain an unwavering consistent faith in doing the will of God. So,
having knowledge of the promises of God should produce consistency in our lives. The works we do for God
should not be sporadic, but consistent and increasing as we gain more knowledge of Him.
· “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes
from evil.”—Matthew 5:37
We should be true
to our word as if we’re under an oath. Our words or character should be so honest and consistent
that no one will be able to misinterpret what we’re saying. Remember there is no confusion when you
say “yes” or “no”! Don’t be one of those people who say things like “I’ll
pray for you” or “Anything you need me to do.” Don’t say you will when you know
you won’t. Become a person who follows through on their word and you’ll be known as a person
of character.
- “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”—Malachi
3:6
The Lord God is our ultimate example of consistency. He does not waver, He does not
lie. When He declares His will, it is so. When He speaks His word, it is so.
God will not say yes today and next week say no or maybe. What was sin in the Bible days is still
sin today. We can count on Him to be unchangeable or consistent.
- “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”—Hebrews 13:8
Since we are to
be like Christ, we should not be double-minded or confused about who we are in Him. We cannot be distracted
with the “what’s happening now” theology or false doctrine that is so prevalent in so many churches today.
God’s view on sin, judgment, love, grace and mercy is still the same. The road to salvation
is still the same. We must be consistent in our belief in God and His Word.
If you desire to live a life
of consistency, then follow these steps:
- You must be consistent about
your habits and your mind-set. You must be willing to look at yourself as you really are and surrender
that person to God and allow Him to change you into the person He wants you to be. This step is the hardest,
because it requires you to be honest with yourself. It requires you to let go of who you think you are
or who you desire to be. This step must be taken to have a life of consistency. Surrender
the mask to God and allow Him to shape and mold you.
- Develop discipline
through routine. By being consistent about when you pray, study the Word, attend church services and serve
in ministry will give you a steadfast and immovable faith in God. You will find peace and balance in your
life.
- Deny instantaneous gratification. Learn
to wait on the blessings of the Lord. Realize that waiting is really trusting God. He
knows what’s best for your life. Remember patient people or consistent people.
So, I will ask
again: Do you live a life of consistency???
