Choosing Intent, Discovering Your Story, Stacking Days
The Disciple-Leader Newsletter #24 // July 8, 2023.
Discipleship // Leadership // Mental Performance. The best from this week.
DISCIPLESHIP
"Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy."
A.W. Tozer
Most things in life are neutral. They are neither good nor evil by themselves. Their value depends on how we use them.
Take social media. At face value, it's merely a communication medium. We are the ones who decide whether it will serve as an agent for good or evil in our lives. We decide whether it's something that draws us nearer to God or something that tugs us away from and/or obstructs our view of Him.
I actually think this Tozer quote is off the mark. It might seem pretty obvious that reading your scriptures is good. But the scriptures, like most things in life, are themselves neutral. It's our approach and attitude towards them that makes the difference. The Book of Mormon teaches, "If (someone) offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing."
The benefits of the Bible (or anything we do) are totally reliant on the intent behind our behavior. Merely reading the scriptures doesn't draw you nearer to God. Remember, Satan quoted scripture to Jesus. He and his minions (in President Nelson's words) know the scriptures.
A more accurate theology would alter the phrase
"Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy."
to
"Whatever keeps me from God is my enemy."
Even the Bible, if used incorrectly, can keep us from God. God doesn't want theologians who study all day. He wants Christians who walk the talk.
The key is to "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and He will direct thee for good." Let God inform your behavior. Let God inform your intent. Let God inform everything you do.
Whatever keeps you from that is your enemy.
LEADERSHIP
“One of the hardest, and I think the most important, realities of history to convey to students or readers of books or viewers of television documentaries is that nothing ever had to happen the way it happened. Any great past event could have gone off in any number of different directions for any number of different reasons. We should understand that history was never on a track. It was never preordained that it would turn out as it did."
David McCullough
Writing about the virtual impossibility of America winning the Revolutionary War, David McCullough detailed specific miraculous interventions that led to an American victory. This photo, depicting the crossing of the Delaware River, was one of those miraculous moments. In a moment of dire need, the howling wind halted, allowing them to cross the river. The wind stopped at just the right time.
McCullough explained the soldiers' reactions to this event, "It was said right away that the hand of God had intervened in behalf of the American cause. Others trying to interpret what had happened used the words Providence or chance." He then offers a profound insight: "But it couldn’t have happened only because of chance or the hand of God. It also required people of skill and experience with the nerve to try it."
There are two ideologies about life that live on opposite poles. The first is that whatever happens was always meant to happen. There was a specific purpose for it that God had preordained. Everything happens for a reason. Everything is ascribed to God's plan. For example, if you worked hard at singing and acting, but ultimately couldn't muster the courage to audition for a show, that you not landing a role was in some way God's plan after all.
The second extreme is the belief that there is no hand of providence guiding, directing, or steering your life. That you are the creator of your destiny. That there is no ultimate purpose in things aside from the purpose you have created in your mind.
The first is ascribing everything to God. The second is ascribing everything to you.
The truth lives in the middle of those two extremes. The Revolutionary War can serve as a macrocosm for life. God does intervene. He opens doors, provides opportunities, and prompts thoughts. But like the soldiers, they had to ultimately decide whether or not they were going to cross that icy river. God provided the opportunity (by stopping the wind), but they had to act.
We thwart God's plans for us far too often, simply due to inaction. We don't have the nerve to try. In a sense, you are the author of your story, but I believe the right way to frame it is that you are the discoverer of your God's story for you.
Becoming the leader that God put you on earth to become isn't just about writing your story, creating your destiny, etc etc. It's about discovering what God's plans are for you, and then being uncompromising in your pursuit of those plans. Actualizing our potential is a three-ingredient formula.
Discovering God's plan for you.
Aligning your plans with His.
Exercising faith by acting in accordance with those plans.
MENTAL PERFORMANCE
“When I think about change, I just think about stacking days. Just keep stacking days. As long as you keep stacking days, I promise you, you will see the change. Reps remove doubt."
Chris Paul
The process of stacking days has a dual effect.
Improved skill
Improved confidence
Skill and confidence feed off each other. The more skill you obtain, the more confident you'll become. The more confident you become, the better you'll perform. It's cyclical.
James Clear observed: "Researchers have cataloged 26,075 pieces of art created by Picasso ... When I discovered that Picasso lived to be 91 years old, I decided to do the math. Picasso lived for a total of 33,403 days. With 26,075 published works, that means Picasso averaged 1 new piece of artwork every day of his life from age 20 until his death at age 91. He created something new, every day, for 71 years."
Without stacking days, Picasso never becomes Picasso.
You already have daily non-negotiable habits. You eat breakfast. You brush your teeth. You tie your shoes. You do this every day. The sheer number of reps you've put into brushing your teeth has removed any doubt in your mind about your teeth-brushing ability. You'd laugh at the idea that you might not be good at brushing your teeth.
You need to approach the habits you want to implement with this idea of brushing your teeth in mind. You never question your commitment to brushing your teeth every day. You wouldn't even think about leaving the house without brushing.
Then why not have that same attitude toward the habit you've been putting off for so long? Why are you so inconsistent with some habits, but you have a 100% streak with brushing your teeth daily? Really, what is the difference?
The same is true for any habit you choose to stack days for.
Whatever it is that you do, do it daily. Do it to the point where your reps remove any doubt you have in your ability. Just keep stacking days and you will see the change.
Disciple-Leadership: Jesus-led. Lead like Jesus.