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Key Bible Verse: So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up (Galatians 6:9). Bonus Reading:Hosea 6:3-4

I carry a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member card in my wallet. To earn this card one must endure a dieting regimen that results in reaching a clearly defined goal maintained for at least six weeks. I attended weekly meetings, listened to inspirational speeches, and received encouragement from the others. I memorized slogans such as "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I lost 43 pounds in 16 weeks. The experience was exhilarating.

But now, three years later, my hard-earned card mocks me. I've become a Weight Watchers apostate, regaining 30 of the pounds I labored so hard to lose. Only one suit fits. My golf swing has to make a detour around my tummy again. The thought of losing even 10 pounds seems like mission impossible.

My experience taught me that while a sustained effort over a short period of time can bring dramatic results, for long-lasting, permanent results, the effort must be sustained without letup. So it is with spiritual attainment. We can shed sinful habits and desires momentarily after a brief exhilarating experience. But without sustained spiritual discipline, moments of spiritual achievement give way to ongoing failure.

—R. C. Sproul in The Soul's Quest for God

My Response: What spiritual disciplines of mine need follow-through?

Thought to Apply: Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. —Louis Pasteur (French chemist and microbiologist)

Adapted from The Soul's Quest for God (P & R Publishing, 1992/2003) by permission.

Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Sovereign Lord, keep me from envying the accomplishments of others. Instead, make me grateful for and content with the gifts You've entrusted to me.

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