1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ~ John 15:1-4NIV
I’ve been really focusing on growing this year, and I’ve seen definite growth, but sometimes it just feels exhausting. I’ve been focusing on one fleshly obstacle at a time; right now, it’s turning the other cheek, and keep going forward. In other words, not allowing other people’s actions or words to negatively affect me. To be honest, it’s difficult. It feels like every time I take a step forward and I begin to see these things no longer bother me, the Devil hits me with multiple combinations, and I just seem to fall and fail to get up for a while.
Our enemy studies us nonstop. While it may not physically be the Devil himself, it’s his kingdom that we have to face daily in battle. And it’s his kingdom that watches us daily. They study us to know our limitations and weaknesses better than we ourselves know. So, what then? Is it a losing battle against an enemy that we can’t see, that knows us better than we know ourselves? It is when we try to do it in our own strength.
When Christ came to earth, the Psalmist and the author of the book of Hebrews wrote that when He took on human flesh, He became a little lower than the angels. Therefore, all humans are lower than angels. If demons and evil spirits can’t be cast out by our own power, then we’d be lower than them as well. Therefore, when we try to fight the enemy in our own strength we’re going to lose each and every time. We may see a win here and a win there, but ultimately, we’ll lose every time because those wins and gains aren’t real wins. Those wins are like little punches that landed against our opponent but didn’t do anything else. They got us on the scoreboard but we failed to actually be any competition for him.
This is my biggest downfall. Every time I begin to thrive and move forward and see a change in my life, one thing holds me back from reaching that goal. Consistency. I find consistency to be my biggest struggle. God promises that if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. He promises that when we enter behind the curtain, He will meet with us in the cloud. But I, to my own downfall and destruction, don’t meet with Him daily. Yes, I pray every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed, but I don’t consistently spend time with Him outside of those two meetings.
I’ll be consistent for a week or even a month or two at a time, and then I just fall off the wagon. Life gets in the way. Or I get sick, and my schedule is completely thrown off, and then I can never get it back again. The enemy knows our weaknesses, and he uses it against us. So, what’s the solution? I guess the solution would be to get to the root of the issue. If my biggest issue that stops my growth in every other area of my life is consistency, then my focus has to shift to that.
Unless I learn to be consistent in my walk with the LORD, nothing will permanently change in my life. Paul, the greatest apostle who ever lived, put it this way:
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27NIV
I don’t believe Paul was saying he was afraid of giving up or turning his back on the faith. I believe Paul was saying that he puts his body into subjection so that he doesn’t become lazy in his faith. So that his relationship with Christ doesn’t become stagnant. So that he never stops bearing good fruit.
Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the time I have wasted not being consistent in with You. Please forgive me for every time I’ve taken You for granted and tried to grow in my own strength and in my own power. Please help me to crucify my flesh daily so that I might take up my cross and follow You. Thank You for Your many blessings and Your unfailing love and mercy. Help me to make meeting with You my biggest priority in my, and not an inconvenience. Show me how to walk in righteousness and in Your Truth. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.