Pulling Through...

“Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Genesis 32:26

Bible commentary:
“God encourages persistence in all areas of our lives, including the spiritual. Where in your spiritual life do you need more persistence? Strong character develops as you struggle through tough conditions.”

Persistence. It takes SUCH dedication. We are a people (lets give a big hand to the society we live in) that find ourselves easily bored and quickly uninterested in what lay before us. It is just too easy to move on to the next thing, with so many other options out there. Consistency and routine are virtues many of us just don’t have the patience for. Mind you I said “many”, not all, of us. To remain consistent requires commitment and endurance. Rewarding work results if we buckle down.

The question was asked where our lives might require more persistence. It’s a great question all of us should reflect on. I’m sure I have plenty of areas that I could act a bit more dedicated. With regard to my spiritual walk, I need more diligence in my prayer life and personal relationship with Christ. This is something that I don’t feel I will ever be satisfied with where I am at, no matter how solid I become. I am learning to avoid the mentality that I feel all too many of us take about prayer and talking with God. And that is the belief that if we get in our x amount of minutes of prayer, and x amount of minutes of communication with God, we can pat ourselves on the back and go about the day-to-day of life. You know, check that ‘talking with God’ thing off the day’s To Do List. I’m guilty, 100%, of this logic.

But then I started to reflect on the term personal relationship. And I started thinking about other relationships in my life. When have I ever “checked” a friend or family member off the list? When have I allotted only x amount of minutes and not one second longer? When have I set up one specific time in the day to talk with them, and then only be available at that time? I mean REALLY. How can you have a REAL relationship with all those parameters? For you Marrieds out there, imagine trying to set such restrictions with your spouse! Talk about paving the road for marriage counseling! So then, why is it, that I find this type of attitude toward God, my Father, Creator, Redeemer, etc., okay? It so is NOT. I don’t knock the idea of setting up a prayer time in the day. In fact, I encourage it. Routine helps. But I want to point out that following the routine is not enough. Talk to Him at whatever time of the day you have set aside, but don’t stop at that. If He is to truly be your #1, then carry on a monologue throughout the day. That’s what you would do with a best friend, so why should it be any different with God?

And on that same note, if we never treat God like a real friend, then how can we truly expect results from our petitions? We aren’t showing true dedication or perseverance if we can’t even establish a solid relationship with God. It’s no wonder that we are not seeing answers and experiencing all the blessings available to us! God can’t give us all He wants to give us if we don’t jump in entirely and make ourselves available to receive all He has for us. Please don’t misunderstand my intentions of that statement. I’m not drawing the conclusion that perseverance in your spiritual walk equals a life filled with daisies, roses, and candy coated rainbows. But you WILL have found your center. You will see life with a clarity you never thought you could. And the difficult times in life, though still hard, become SO much more bearable when you know who you are living for, and what you are living for.