Consistency is what most hinders us from living a life that looks like Christ. We can live for Jesus in the moment, maybe even for a day or a week, but given enough time, we waver. Old habits creep in, and new habits get lost in the busyness of our day-to-day lives. Before we know it, and despite our best efforts, we are once again stuck in a pattern of life that looks much more like the world than it does Jesus.
What’s wrong with us? We know what He did for us. We love Him. Why does it never seem to be enough? I wish I had a definitive answer for you, but I don’t. I do have some ideas, though.
None of us lives for Jesus with the consistency we desire. If we did, we’d never sin, and I’ve yet to meet a sinless person apart from Christ. Even after renouncing the things of this world, they have a tendency to keep calling. We want the health, ease, and prosperity of the elites that we watch and read about. I think it’s safe to say none of us would turn down a million-dollar check with no strings attached. We all wish things could be a little easier.
The trials of life often push us into daydreaming about an easier way. Instead of relying on the power of Christ to see us through, we try to figure things out on our own. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 17:5) That is one of the biggest hindrances to living life with consistency. We are too prone to relying on our strength and wisdom. I laughed as I wrote the last sentence. What strength and wisdom do we have outside of Christ? Not one ounce! (1 Corinthians 1:24-25; 2 Corinthians 3:5) But, oh, how we love to pretend otherwise.
It seems as if our problem with sin, and by extension, consistency, always comes back to pride. (Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6) Pride is the original sin, the root of every other sin. (Isaiah 14:12-15) It’s as if pride is the kryptonite of humanity. We know it will weaken and even kill us, but we can’t seem to resist it. Though we desire to live for Jesus and surrender everything to Him, we are reluctant to lose ourselves in the process. Jesus said if we try to hold on to our humanity, we will forfeit our life. (Luke 9:24) There is no way to be an individual and a follower of Jesus. We have to kill that old self. (Galatians 2:19-20; Colossians 3:5)
A consistent Christian life is one spent pursuing things of eternity, not things of this world. (Colossians 3:1-2; Matthew 6:19-20) It is a life that no longer exists outside the life of Christ. (Colossians 3:3) Surrendering all must be more than lip service; it must be a process we repeat every second we are drawing breath. We don’t just surrender our stuff; we must surrender our very selves. (Luke 9:23; Romans 12:1)
If you want to live a consistent Christian life, you must abolish pride. Who cares what anyone else thinks of you? (Galatians 1:10) What difference will it make if you live a life of fame or anonymity? The only thing that matters is who you are in Christ. (Philippians 3:8) The only things that will remain after death are those treasures you’ve stored in Heaven. (Matthew 6:20)
To live a life that looks like Jesus means He is all anyone sees when they look at you. Refusing to let go of the things of this world or indulging in prideful behavior will torpedo your consistency every time. (1 John 2:16) We’ll never find consistency until we learn to surrender every moment of our lives and then do it again the next. That’s what it means to follow Jesus.