Momentum

Dave Ramsey, author of the Total Money Make Over, Financial Peace University and radio host of the Dave Ramsey show, talks about this little formula:  Focused Intensity Over Time multiplied by God will create Momentum. Eureka! Momentum. Momentum will keep me consistent.

Consistency is the key to results, right? It doesn’t matter what endeavor we take on whether getting out of debt, losing weight, being a more patient parent, a more supportive spouse, writing the next great American novel.  Anything worth doing requires sustained effort.

Momentum happens once we get that effort going, get that big ole rock moving.  What happens when you lose momentum? I guess the bigger question is how do you get it back? (Hint: Focused Intensity over Time multiplied by God).

“Focused Intensity” to me is simply prioritizing whatever it is. If it’s getting out of debt, then I focus solely on getting out of debt, I don’t worry about my retirement, or my kid’s college fund, I focus all of my energy on getting out of debt. Which I did with Dave’s help, by the way. That’s a whole different story that I’ll share at some point.

“Over Time” means that I invest a little bit of time every day and then over time I will have invested a lot of time, my husband calls it “chipping away.”

Personally, I don’t like “chipping away”. I want to get results yesterday. I want to eat a salad for lunch and drop 10lbs by dinner.

This my friends, is where the “multiplied by God” part enters the equation. I don’t know about you, but left to my own devices, if I don’t see some kind of pay off within a short time, then I’m probably gonna bail. I have to have God’s help. My experience is that  I have to ask God for the willingness to _______ and I have to ask daily.

St. Paul tells us that the Fruits of the Spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. See? Patience and self control… I need Divine Intervention to help me stay consistent with just about everything.  Since my understanding of God is that of a polite dude, he’s not going to come barging into my life and “make” me anything. I have to invite. I have to ask. I have to allow.

Allowing God’s spirit to do those things within me that I absolutely would prefer not to do takes an enormous amount of willingness on my part. I think that’s where I partner with God. He does what I can’t do, but I do what I can.  What can I do? I can be willing. I can ask for help.

Just for today

I’m going to ask God for the willingness to be willing. I’ll ask for divine help to develop the self discipline of living like a grown- up.  I’ll be open and aware of His intervention.  I’ll keep an open mind and keep asking for the willingness until something within me shifts.

Prayer

God, please give me the willingness to allow you to work in my mind, heart, body and soul. Help me to stop rebelling against your Highest good for me. Help me to surrender these things that are no longer serving me, that are bringing me down. Help me to simply trust that you know the best way for me and to follow your lead.