I’ve been thinking today that maybe my story is the same as your story.

I’ve noticed something about myself over the last several months, and I can honestly say I don’t like it. I wonder if there are others who feel the same. 

There are significant changes that I’ve seen since we first started isolating and social distancing. I’ve also noticed that some things have fallen through the cracks.

I worked hard at maintaining my work effort and, in many ways, had to learn new skills to do it. I’ve had to find new ways to connect, new ways to meet, new ways to communicate. 

… And that has taken lots of time and effort. 

I guess I can be satisfied with what I’ve accomplished and provided so far for my congregation during this time. 

But there is something that I’ve really failed at. I’ve even made excuses for it. I’ve justified my failure and even have taken comfort in it. 

It’s possible that I’m not the only one and that you, to some degree, have failed in the same way I have.

Even great people who we look up to still have failure in their lives – the business guru who has built companies and made fortunes but has failed as a husband and father; the talented athlete who has conquered his or her sport but failed personally; the musician who has garnered the fame and awe of millions but become consumed by alcohol and drugs. 

They all had aspects of great success, but also great failure. 

I’ve been thinking about my failure during this time of isolation. I’ve been okay with it too because I need a break, an outlet. I need some kind of escape from all the effort I’m directing to new things. 

Do you see this in yourself as well?

My story, my area of failure is in my personal disciplines. Over the last five months, I’ve eaten way too much of the wrong things and put aside consistent exercise.

The crazy thing is that if I had not failed in this area I would have been better prepared to handle all the new things I’ve had to do.

In the spring when the weather wasn’t so great, my home gym got dusty. I just felt too drained each day to use my equipment in any kind of a consistent way. Even when the weather turned warm, I had excuses for not getting out there to mountain bike or play golf regularly.

I’ve looked for comfort food to easy the burden of the new work I’ve taken on … and comfort food for me is junk food and candy. I’ve told myself I deserve the break, but I’ve been too tired to break what has become a pattern for me. 

I know what I need to do, and that is to break the pattern, fight off the weariness and get back to my discipline.

This is my story and it’s not going to be easy to change – like going against gravity – but I need to do it … and maybe you need to do it too.

Here’s the thing: Maybe you’ve slacked off spiritually as well. Is it possible that you had questions about God, things you wanted to investigate, but haven’t moved on to finding answers? Maybe you have been lazy in spending time with God. Maybe God’s taken a back seat over the last several months. It’s time to break the pattern and go against gravity. Work at that spiritual part of your life.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What disciplines are you going to get back to? Leave your comments and questions below.

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