Press On!

While meeting with a friend who is excited about his growing relationship with Christ as he spends more time reading and discussing the Word of God, I asked him what he would say to someone who is struggling to make time for God.  His response:

“Press on!”

He answered so quickly that it was clear that it was an answer based his experience.

He continued (I’m paraphrasing)…if you start going to the gym and you look in the mirror after the first workout, you won’t notice a difference.  You may not notice a difference for weeks, but one day you will look in the mirror and see a difference or you will feel the difference but it could take time so you need to press on. 

What a great parallel for strengthening your faith. 

…train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. I Tim 4:7b-8

If you are struggling with prioritizing time to grow closer to God through spiritual disciplines such as Bible intake (reading, listening, meditating) or prayer because it doesn’t seem to make an immediate difference in your life, take my wise friend’s advice and press on.

Press on and watch for changes over time such as:

·      Things that caused you anger no longer do

·      You identify temptations quickly and move away from them

·      You block and/or avoid content that can cause you temptation

·      You are quicker to forgive and slower to judge

·      You notice yourself being more grateful

 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.  Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. I Timothy 4:13-16

Press on!