Consistency vs Intensity

Don’t forget, if you’d prefer to listen to this post instead of read it (or if you’d like to read it and listen along) go to this page and choose your favourite podcast app.

Have you ever felt that spiritual high after a Christian conference or a big worship night, only to crash back to reality a few days later? 

I know the feeling. There are times when I’ve left those events feeling really fired up and energised, only to come face to face with the washing up a few days later feeling like I’ve lost all momentum. 

Conferences, worship nights, big events, they can be wonderful but they’re intense. And intensity, if we’re not careful, can leave us feeling burnt out or disillusioned. Intense moments simply aren’t meant to be the norm.

We aren’t meant to live in intensity. We’re meant to live in consistency. 

When we think about who we want to become and what we want to achieve, it’s the intense moments that we’ll remember but it’s the consistent moments that will actually get us there. 

Take brushing your teeth, for example. If you want to have clean and healthy teeth, it’s brushing them everyday that makes the difference, not the annual trip to the dentist. You’ll remember the dentist visit more than each time you brushed your teeth, but it’s the consistency that keeps your teeth healthy. 

The same goes for any goal. If you want to run a marathon, the consistent moments - those early morning runs - are what prepare you.The intensity of a few 10k races might stand out in your memory, but it’s the daily discipline that gets you to the marathon.

And in the same way, if we want to know Jesus more deeply, to trust him more, to follow him more boldly, it’s the consistent moments that will lead us there - not just the intense ones. 

For you, that might look like reading your Bible regularly, or praying often. Whatever it is, it probably won’t be as memorable as the worship night or conference, or even as memorable as a Sunday in church.

Church

Let’s focus on church for a minute while we’re here because it’s an interesting one. 

I believe church services are meant to fall into the consistency category. They don’t have to be extraordinary every week to make a difference. It’s the consistency of being in community, worshiping together, and hearing the Word that steadily shapes our faith. When we see Sundays as the centrepiece of our spiritual lives, we risk putting too much pressure on one day, and that will quickly lead to a spiritual high that fades by Monday morning. 

Or, for those of us in leadership, this mindset can lead to burnout. We start to believe that Sundays are the pivotal moment in a believer’s life, piling on the pressure to make everything perfect. But in reality it’s one of many consistent daily and weekly practices that sustain spiritual growth.

Because consistency is what underpins our spiritual growth, the intense moments are memorable and wonderful and a gift. But they aren’t what we live on.

It’s the same with rest. If we want to feel more rested throughout the year, it’s the consistent moments of daily and weekly intentional rest that make the difference, rather than the big annual summer holiday. 

Understanding the difference between intensity and consistency helps us focus on the right things. 

But there’s way more to it than that

But there’s way more to it than that.Everything I’ve just said is helpful, it’s language I use day-to-day, but it could be said by just about anyone - whether they’re a follower of Jesus or not. 

So where does Jesus come into this? As we look to change and grow - to read our Bibles more, pray more, become like him or step out in faith - consistent habits are essential. So why do we struggle so much?

Because we forget to include Jesus and try to do it all on our own.

But here’s some good news: you’re not the one who has to figure this all out. You’re not in charge of your transformation. The Holy Spirit is. 

And what sets us apart is that we can approach Jesus and say, “I really want to pray more. But my own willpower isn’t enough. I’ll start well on Monday, but by Wednesday, I’ll have forgotten. So I need your help. Would you make me into a person who longs to pray more, who knows you deeply, who wants to spend time with you?” 

Resolving to be consistent on our own isn’t enough. We all need Jesus.

So let’s end with a question and a prayer.

I’m being cheeky this time as I actually have two questions - you can pick which one you fancy.

Question

For those of us who have relied a bit too much on intensity lately - what areas of your life need more consistency, and how can you invite Jesus into those areas to help you grow?

Or, for those of us who have been consistently making steps forward, maybe you need the gift of intensity to ignite a new passion or refuel your consistent habits. So for you, where is your life lacking the gift of intensity, and what decision might God be leading you into?

Prayer

God, I recognise that I need you. In everything and in all areas of my life - the consistent moments and the intense moments. More than that, I want you to be involved in these areas. Or at least I want to want you to be. I want to trust you enough to naturally go to you with all things. But I recognise that I can’t muster up that kind of trust or relationship or faith, everything I need is found in you. So I come to you Jesus. I bring the areas of my life where I feel disappointed, or not enough, or out of control or just plain stuck. Would you transform me Jesus and empower me through your Holy Spirit to be more like you, in all things. Amen.