Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit. A few years ago, I finally got into the habit of daily exercise. Every weekday morning, I was up at 5:00 and walking with Leslie Sansome or silently grumbling at Jillian Michael, or struggling to keep up with super-fit Pilates instructors.
I developed some muscle.
I was fairly strong for a woman my age, thankyouverymuch.
It worked because I stopped thinking that I'd exercise three days a week. I made up my mind to exercise every weekday.
Then this spring and summer, things started piling up around here.
Insomnia raised its ugly head, and other situations began to keep me up well past my carefully-protected bedtime.
The bus schedule changed, and I had to be out the door 15 minutes earlier than before.
In exercise land, 15 minutes is tantamount to eternity.
Slowly, my habit has dissolved into hit-or-miss, maybe this morning, maybe tomorrow afternoon, maybe next week.
It's frustrating-
and--truth be told, paralyzing.
Inertia breeds inertia.
Focusing on Jesus follows much the same pattern, doesn't it?
A busy day here, a missed opportunity there.
15 minutes more of sleep, Internet, kitchen cleaning.
Where did the time go?
Bottom line--relationships take time and discipline
and the word we hate in our clock-and-convenience-driven culture--
commitment.
Sometimes I've been more committed to my exercise schedule than my time with my Father,
and I lose focus.
My relationship with Christ grows and my focus stays true when
I stop thinking I'll talk with Him later or read His Word tomorrow.
It works when I listen to His call to be with Him every day.
Then I can develop some muscle.
In Him, I can be strong.
Be blessed,
Ginger
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