I put off this confession as long as I could. Do you remember the 30/12 Challenge I threw out a few weeks back? It was about taking 30 minutes of quiet time with God for 12 days straight. Thirty minutes of nothing but listening for God’s still voice.
The challenge connected with me because one of our family’s key verses is, “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” We all know that being an effective leader in our church, home, or business requires a “kept heart.” And the 30/12 challenge seemed to be a great way to help keep it. Little did I know how much keeping mine needed.
For me it turned out to be the 30/7 challenge. That was as long as I could keep up the discipline to do it. Yeah, I know…seven days doesn’t really get it. I failed the challenge. But it has helped me see that I must slow down. It’s been a humbling experience, but I’m learning to say “NO” to create more margin space in my life. I’m slowly making progress and hope to give the 12 days another shot soon.
So for those of you who accepted the challenge with me, what’s your story? We’d love to learn what God was teaching you through it all.
I recommend watching the movie “WHAT ABOUT BOB” and reflecting on the strategy used in the movie: Baby Steps. Bob needed baby steps –
So – what about this challenge – 3.0/12 – let’s try to find 3.0 minutes and stop and do that for 12 days. That might actually be an improvement for me.
Sorry Scott – sometimes I need to lower my expectations in order to increase my chances for success – http://www.despair.com
Michael
I want to combine your last few posts, Ed.
…finding a way to overcome suffering may be more important than finding a way to avoid it…
…10,000 hours.
…failed.
My brother, at the rate of 30 minutes a day, 10,000 hours would take 20,000 thirty minute sessions, nearly 55 years! Of course your aren’t yet a master! You haven’t failed; you’ve begun!
I, too, find it hard to stop an listen. One of my personal mantras, though, is “Be inconsistent!” I fail in being consistent, time and time again. But when I’m inconsistent, inconsistent, inconsistent… again and again and again, sometimes I find in my failing and trying again a measure of the consistency for which I long.
I remember why you wanted to do the 30/12. To know God better, to be a better lover of God and his people. Keep listening. I think that perhaps “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:35)
Dan,
Do 2 INCONSISTENCIES make a CONSTISTENCY?
Michael
Michael -
No, two wouldn’t. But twenty or thirty might. If I want to get in shape and excitedly plan to work out 5 times a week consistently, but fail, I have a choice to make: quit or just be inconsistent. Maybe I quit. I’m consistent. But if I keep after it, twice this week, four times next, miss a week, then three, then two… pretty soon, I’ve been inconsistent, but I’m in shape. Because I didn’t quit.
A smarter guy than me might call all those inconsistencies baby steps…
Someone once said inconsistency is the only thing in which men are consistent. Count me in.
In this case, the “30/12 Challenge” in & of itself was a human invention. To that end, it was flawed. What a person learns THROUGH the challenge is where the great learning takes place. I counted at least 9 growth points in Ed’s confession:
1) He recognized the importance of being still before God (otherwise he never would have blogged about it – twice)
2) He was able to reconnect with his family through their family’s key verse.
3) How much “keeping” his heart needs
4) His success at being still for 7 days
5) An appreciation for the need to slow down
6) Humility
7) The ability to say “no” for more margin
8) The truth that progress sometimes is a slow proposition
9) He is not a quitter
I’d say that’s anything but a failure!
Michael,
Yea…sometime it feels all you have is little baby steps. What about Bob…funny movie with a great message.
Dan,
Kinda deep there brother…but my temperament floats to the inconsistent quite often as well. The ability to handle ambiguity and inconsistency is a real skill though.
And…
I pray I’m growing closer to the heart of God…tough stuff.
Scott,
Thanks for the insightful growth points. This life is such an endless classroom. At 51 we were supposed to be much farther along weren’t we? But…you give me hope brother!!
Thanks for the great coaching Scott.
For the record, I’m at 43. And, yes, I should be farther along than I am…