Winning the Battle of Consistency

Have you ever met an individual who has developed such a love for the Word of God that it is a natural part of their conversation? A conversation with this individual is encouraging and invariably but gently leads the conversation back to the Word of God, back to His love letter to us, back to Truth. Having a deep knowledge that produces a Biblical conversation and a Biblical focus in all areas of life is something I genuinely desire to develop as a personal characteristic.  Adapting this love of God's Word requires consistent, quality time reading the Bible.

Truthfully, reading God's Word is not a daily habit in which I have won the battle of consistency. As a teenager raised in a Christian school, if we read the Bible during school then it was an accepted form of daily time with God in His Word. As typical of the majority of teenagers, the easier way out was taken. 

In Bible college, following the lead of other students and feeling the responsibility of growing up induced added time in the Bible, but still not consistently. 

Following college came the single young adult who was entrapped by the freedoms of the world and willfully took a hiatus from church because it provided immediate gratification without the guilt of the church.

Marriage and the baby carriage is a natural motivator that is a common companion to returning to church and the need for God's Word. Along with that sweet baby comes the busyness of motherhood, the constant chore of being needed by others, and less time in God's Word. During motherhood, reading a short devotional or listening to Christian music came to replace the in depth time in God's Word. 

Fast forward to grown up adult children and teenagers and finally more free personal time available to read the Word of God. The battle of consistency is not won by any stretch of the imagination, but I am developing a genuine love for His Word.  It was always there, but with a little bit of consistency comes as sweeter love.  I see Him answering my questions, my prayers, and even the simplest of thoughts through scripture. God is so good. 

Concerned with the willingness of people to turn away from sound Biblical doctrine, my husband and I were left in confusion. God answered those concerns with His Word.

I Timothy 4:3-4 
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  

When adult and teenage children are concerned about their futures and the simple provisions of life, God provided this scripture on the very morning I received one of those heart-wrenching calls. 

Romans 8:31-32
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

This morning while journaling God's goodness to me, a picture of my Daddy fell out of my journal. For a few moments, memories flooded my heart and I longed to see my Daddy.  Questions regarding where he will spend eternity once again entered into my heart. My dad trusted Jesus as his Savior, but the evidence of his decision was not visible throughout the majority of his life. God in His sweet goodness, with his precious Word settled my heart immediately.

I Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

God is so good. His Word is so precious. I want to finally win the battle of consistency and fall in love with His Word more and more on a daily basis. God is good. His Word is truth. His Word is alive and relevant in our world today. Read it, learn it, love it, and share it.