Consistency is not determined by our Shoe Size

We have all heard the phrase one step forward and two steps back at some point in our lives. If we really break it down what this message is really conveying is failure. If I could pick a phrase that describes my walk with the Lord, this phrase in particular would probably be in the top 3 most frequently used. You see I am an extremist, if you know me well this is actually an understatement. I am either 100% one way or 100% the other. I’ll be completely honest; consistency is not really my forte. I set the bar so high that I make it almost impossible for me to attain day in and day out. Not only do I set the bar high in life in general, but I also set the bar so high in my walk with Christ that it is practically unattainable. Can you imagine looking up at this bar that you yourself have actually placed so high, and not even be able to attain it? Of course the thought of failure runs through your mind, it runs through mine. Let’s just break it down real quick, I am jumping and jumping to grab a hold of this bar, I am fatigued, sweating and the best part is I look like an idiot because I was the one that put it up there in the first place...Cool!! If I could only grab hold for a second, or maybe just swing awhile I would feel more accomplish, fulfilled, or worthy. I don’t know about you, but after a couple jumps my legs start to burn and it gets uncomfortable or maybe I am too exhausted to even try and attempt jumping. This is my struggle, if I cannot reach the bar, touch it, grab it, or swing in my mind I have automatically taken two steps back. Because the other day I hung for awhile and surely I have taken a step forward; and a couple weeks ago I swung for quite a while. In fact in my pride I might have broken the record for the most swings swung. So how do we grab a hold of this bar consistently? I have learned in these past few weeks that the phrase one step forward two steps back is completely and utterly the worst phrase in describing my walk with Christ, and is a complete lie. What exactly are the standards and guidelines of taking a step back? What do I have to fail at that is categorized as taking a step back? I am learning that there is no step back in the eyes of Jesus, there is only steps forward. It may feel as if I have taken a million steps backwards and I am in the next town over, but in reality I am in the exact place that the Lord has intended me to be. If the Lord intended me to be where I am currently, then I am actually making progress. The steps might be little, they might be big, but I’m pretty confident that the Lord doesn’t have a dictionary where it states the exact measurements of what is considered a step. We all have different strides and shoes sizes, each person cannot have exactly the same step. I have also realized that this bar that I have set so high above my head is actually attainable; because Jesus so graciously has set a stool for me to climb on to reach this bar. That’s the thing I know the stool is there but my own pride will actually pretend it doesn’t exist and I will continue jumping and most likely cramp up. Our sweet Savior knows we are tired and can’t continue jumping so he graciously says No, no, I have hand crafted this stool just for you; it is the exact height, width and furnish. Use it, you need it, I am waiting, but if you fall I have a stool for you to sit and rest awhile. The gap between the floor and the bar becomes shorter making it consistently attainable. Christ our consistency, it might look like we have taken one step forward and two steps back but in reality we are resting on the stool that the Lord has uniquely hand crafted for each of us.