Consistency

And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was alone.

Matthew 14: 23

This short verse says a mouthful. There is much that we can learn about successful living by the example that Jesus leads in this scripture. Our “failures” in life can be directly tied to a lack of consistency. Jesus showed in his life how to overcome that which we tend to struggle with. I’m not just referring to sin. How many times do we resolve to do something only for it to fizzle out within a short while (See Maintaining Wellness Part 1 and Maintaining Wellness Part 2). I, recently, tried to re-learn how to play piano. I did fairly well for a while. However, my lack of consistent and focused practicing became my “failure” in really progressing to master an instrument that I truly desired to become proficient at. Jesus’ example in this verse can not only help in our natural walk with God. But it really is an example that can help us to conquer “mountains” in our spiritual lives.

Sending the multitudes away

The first thing that Jesus did was to send the multitudes away. How many times do we have a hard time sending the multitudes away? How often do we think that we need the assurances of men or women for the purpose of raising our self-esteem. And if its not people that we need to send away, how often do we need to “send away” the multitudes of thoughts and ideas that bombard us on a daily basis? How many times do we get down to pray only to struggle with “sending away” those very multitudes. Jesus needed to send away those multitudes in order to be able to reach his Father to gain the help and strength that he needed. Remember, He was God … but He was also man. He needed the same strength, in his being, that we also need.

Climbing the mountain

Once He sent the multitudes aways, He went up into a mountain “apart to pray.” Isn’t it ironic that in order to conquer His mountains that He needed to go into a mountain to pray. Think of the effort and the struggle that it took to get into this high location. This effort was no walk in the park, as the saying goes. Mountain climbing takes great effort and takes skill and energy. In my example, 5 minutes a day at the piano does not produce a maestro. A few minutes in prayer each day does not produce spiritual excellence. To do anything effectively takes effort and skill on a consistent basis. Now don’t get me wrong, its not the length of prayer that makes the prayer effective. James 5: 16 states that, “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” The word effectual means successful in producing a desired or intended result. The word fervent means having or displaying a passionate intensity. In other words, the successfulness of prayer is contingent upon the “passionate intensity” of the prayer. Prayer that takes effort. Prayer that takes inward energy. This is prayer that makes more of a difference than prayer that is just measured by time.

Blessed Solitude

As Jesus separated himself from the multitude and put forth much effort to enter into a high place of prayer there came a time of blessed solitude in the evening. How many times do we think that we need others around just to make us happy? How often have we been able to, as the popular phrase says, “get into the zone?” Even in life, those people who are successful in an endeavor just don’t happen upon that success. A successful athlete puts forth much effort in getting their physical selves in shape. Not only do they get in shape but they work tirelessly at perfecting their skills; oftentimes alone. They do this because of their intense passion for the sport. The same can be said of “others” who have found success in their craft. But the same should be said of those that find success in the work of God. It is an intense passion that drives the effort to win souls or to teach the gospel or to work on a talent to be used in the furtherance of the kingdom of God. All being fueled by effectual fervent prayer. That type of prayer can only be accomplished in solitude. That type of prayer can only be achieved by “getting into the zone.”

Jesus found “success” because he was consistent in living this type of life. He didn’t just go into the mountain to pray once. This was a consistent way of living for him in order to be able to communicate with his Father. For us to find the same type of success, we must develop the same consistent way of life. Is it hard? Absolutely! Consistency has a very close cousin called Discipline. It takes discipline to maintain a consistent life of excellence. That type of discipline has to be fueled by something more than mere desire. That is why Jesus left us with the Holy Ghost. The scripture tells us that the Holy Ghost guides us into all truth (John 16: 13). If we allow the Holy Ghost to be that guide in our lives on a consistent basis then we will find the only real success that matters. Worldly success is good for examples. However, true success is that which is found in the soul!