What Does Consistent Faith Practically Look Like?
Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, with patiently on the LORD”
(Psalm 27:11-14).
Consistent faith is simply following Christ Jesus. It isn’t a simple life, Jesus told us it would be hard. He warned us people would reject, slander, and lie about us. We will be left out and unfair things will happen to us. But the joy, peace, hope and forgiveness we find in Him makes all the harsh parts of life on earth melt into a peace which surpasses all understanding. Jon Bloom writes, “True to your word. That is a concise, clear definition of what it means to be a faithful person. There is consistency between what you say and what you do, between what you believe and how you behave, between what you promise and what you perform.”
Texting and social media have put a horrible dent in our communication skills. Without hearing the tone of someone’s voice, and seeing their eyes as they speak, it’s difficult to get a genuine message across, or, too easy to deliver a hurtful and scathing quip. James wrote:
“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless” (James 1:26).
Consistent faith means constantly checking ourselves, and submitting what we feel like doing and saying to the Lord. The Holy Spirit living in us gives us the strength we need to curb our words and make the extra effort to reflect the love of Christ effectively, accurately, and genuinely, as to draw people back to Him. The progressive change in us, which begins the moment we begin to follow Christ Jesus, will allow us to become aware of when we need to submit to the Spirit’s movement in our lives. He is faithful to convict, alert, strengthen, comfort, and counsel us so we can live our lives within the love of Christ, consistently.
“The Eternal’s law is perfect, turning lives around. His words are reliable and true, instilling wisdom to open minds” (Psalm 19:7, The Voice).
Reliable and true. Those two words are genuinely rare in this world. But in Christ, we are able to embrace His reliability and truth. Jesus is the Living Word of God. Reading Scripture consistently changes us from our core.
Repentance is a literal turning around. It reminds me of what it means to have faith in Jesus. We turn around from one behavior or bad habit only to work on turning away from the next one. The longer we follow Him, the more often we look back in wonder at the change He makes in our lives. We are new creations in Christ. Life is hard sometimes, but it’s also so good. It’s good and hard at the same time, a concept consistent faith helps us to embrace and traverse. The apostle John recorded Jesus’ words:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Kegan Mosier wrote an article titled, “5 Keys to Unlocking Consistent Character” for Cornerstone Christian Counseling. They are:
1. Identify aspects of your behavior that require change.
2. Stop making excuses or justifying your lack of change.
3. Judge less, love more.
4. Take your thoughts captive.
5. Be persistent.
Consistent faith requires us to cease comparing our walk with Christ to another person’s journey with Him. At every stage of life, we will still need to apply the above techniques to make sure our character is consistent. Life is not a “set it and forget it” journey. We are constantly learning, remembering old lessons and building on them with new. When we learn math, we never forget the basic facts. We continue to build upon them, using the basics to continue to grow. So it is as we develop a consistent faith in our lives, leaning on the Lord for everything we need to live a life which genuinely reflects His love.
“For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 4:19b).
More from this author
The Importance of Remembering God
Change Was Designed by God for Our Good
Fighting the Urge to Judge Others
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