This is the perfect time of year for those of us who suffer from lack of self-control. And really, who doesn't suffer from that in some way...eating, shopping, talking, sleeping, social media....whatever your indulgence may be, we all have at least one. Halloween gives us a rough start, tempting us with every sort of candy you can imagine. I have three boys and a hubby with a voracious sweet tooth so Halloween is a challenge readily accepted at our house. As soon as my boys get their buckets full, they empty them into a giant backpack my husband wears and off they go again to refill their buckets. This happens over and over until they're exhausted of running from house to house or their costumes are in shambles, whichever comes first. For better or worse, I allow my boys to eat all the candy they want until its gone (which usually only takes a few days). I'm a firm believer in natural consequences so I figure they might as well just get it out of their systems even if it means being sick. Plus it keeps me from being tempted for weeks on end. KitKats and Reese's have a way of breaking me down. Of course, after Halloween, its downhill from there. Goodies, baking, Thanksgiving Day, then Black Friday which if you've never participated, is pure chaos, holiday parties, shopping, eating and drinking in a never-ending cycle until finally one big crash at New Years where you desperately try to stay awake long enough to feel like you've fully appreciated every moment of the last year with all the joy and thankfulness you can muster but knowing full well that tomorrow when you wake up to a brand new year, you have so many things that you need to do better and somehow magically in a new year you'll find the self-control to do them all.
A lack of self control is the enemy of consistency. I don't know who said that but I think its completely true because I also think the way to success is by being consistent. There are no secrets. You can't become smarter, thinner, debt-free, richer, kinder, prettier overnight. It requires creating a new habit and doing it everyday even when you don't see the rewards. I've exercised and dieted for weeks on end to see no results. And yes, in health, sometimes you need to change things up, a new routine, a different diet, heavier weights, less cardio or more, but without hesitation, I can say training consistently is worth it. Eventually, if you press on, results will come. Trust the process.
Romans 14:22-23 says, "Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice you are acting in way inconsistent with what you believe-some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them-then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong."
The great news is, God is the best personal trainer. Cultivate a relationship with Him. When you know Him, it makes it easier to hear Him and when you hear Him, it's easier to know what He wants you to do and that's when you'll bear fruit.
No comments:
Post a Comment