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Cadence and Consistency along The Way

I got to go on a 4 mile hike in the mountains with a friend yesterday. Things have been a bit stressful lately and it was so nice to get away outside in nature, get some exercise, and get my mind off of everything else.

When I’m able to start my day with a quiet devotional, get outside for exercise regularly, spend time in praise and prayer, eat healthier, and maintain a grateful attitude, no matter the chaos, challenges (or even loss and grief) — I don’t find myself overwhelmed, depressed or hopeless with a negative or victim mindset.

There is something about having an expectant mindset and a purposeful and intentional approach to each day that shifts not only my perspective, but that helps me rise above the circumstances. And I can be expectant and intentional if there is something that I can hope and put my trust in.

Walking in The Way isn’t about finding a way to change our stinking thinking so that we can be more prosperous — it isn’t a self help trick to manifest our best life now either. We seek the Lord, we want to know Him better, we want to walk with Him and better understand His ways, we put our trust in His promises and His guidance, and we follow Him. And when we are walking close with Him, and have our eyes set upon eternity, the little things of this world just don’t seem as important or scary or tempting.

When I hike, if I can maintain a steady cadence — like a drum beat that gets neither slower or faster — I can hike for much further distances without getting as tired and without my body, muscles and joints aching as much afterwards. I will lengthen or shorten my steps depending on the trail itself, but maintaining a constant cadence in hiking and biking helps me with my endurance and my recovery. And maintaining a steady and consistent cadence of seeking the Lord and putting my hope in Him helps me endure whatever life has to throw at me and rise above it.

If there is something that is wrong you down, if you find something is making you easy, show, tired, or overwhelmed — I encourage you to seek the Lord more consistently, to put your trust in Him more fully, to decide to follow Him, and to experience the power and strength that He will renew you with. Amen.

‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬ ‭AMP‬
[31] But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.

https://bible.com/bible/1588/isa.40.31.AMP

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Two paths – it makes all the difference

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 NKJV

I love you, friend. But I hate your sin. I hate my sin. I see what it has done in our lives, the tricks that it plays – offering sweet promises while providing sickness and wickedness and death and harm to ourself and others. Most importantly, it dishonors the name of the Lord when we say we are His with our mouths but deny Him in our lives, when we are a stumbling block – hindering others from recognizing the true spirit of Christ alive in His children.

Yes, I believe that everything the Lord calls sin IS SIN. Yes, I am more confident in the truth of His Word than in the lies of my own deceitful heart and opinions. I trust in God’s divine wisdom over my own feelings and justifications about what is right and wrong, because I have proven to myself that my way is foolish and lands me in unexpected consequences for myself and others. I survey my life and it is clear that obeying His guidelines is the best life both now and for eternity.

And I expected it to be heavy and burdensome like before when I found that I was a rebellious law breaker. But the Lord sent me the Helper that He promised, and when I have my eyes set firmly upon demonstrating His way to the world around me – when I am bold enough to walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and long suffering – when I walk in the Spirit, I no longer break the law and I’m no longer under the law.

This is because I’m not longing to fulfill my own will, but I’m longing to fulfill His will. Yes, He gives me a new hunger – a hunger for His ways, His righteousness. And when we hunger for righteousness we do not hunger to be involved in sin – we love righteousness and hate sin.

This does not mean that we only love people who act or want to appear righteous – No! There is not a one of you (especially not in you arrogant and religious ones) who is righteous of his own works. And if you stand with the testimony of your own works as righteous, you are both a liar and an abomination before God because of your pride and arrogance.

Such an abomination, such a blaspheming of the work of the Holy Spirit as being their own – I fear that it will bring desolation to many who would not give all the praise and honor to God for the opportunity to walk as a new creation. And the same can be said for those who turn away from such a blessing as grace,  and blaspheme it as a license to sin freely and openly,  with no love for God or His ways. Lord, save us!

Help us, Lord! Come live in us and guide us so that it will be you living out these days in our vessel – quickening our lives as you take over and abide with us and walk with us. Let them see you more and more and us less and less.