“The Easy Part: Following Through on a Good Plan!”
My sponsor made an intriguing comment this morning. He was responding to my affirmation for today, which is:
Today, by God’s grace, I am following through on my good intentions. This follow-through includes:
- Eating wisely.
- Exercising.
- Reading.
- Writing.
- Preparation for teaching online.
- Being kind to myself and all my other selves.
My sponsor shot back an email that said, “Sounds like you have a good plan. Now comes the easy part, execute the plan.”
I don’t know if he meant to use the expression “easy part.” Perhaps he meant to write “the hard part.” Probably he was being ironic. My sponsor has an excellent sense of humor.
No matter how he meant it, I took the word “easy” seriously and literally. (Those two are not always the same, by the by.) I asked myself, “What if I regarded the execution of a good plan—just doing the next right thing—as easy.” One translation of the Bible says that “the way of the transgressor is hard” (Proverbs 13:15, King James Version). While the translation from the Hebrew is highly questionable, it seems to me that there is truth in the basic thought.
A better text to make this point comes from Jesus’ words, as recorded in Matthew 28-30:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (English Standard Version)
Jesus, who surely didn’t sugarcoat things, says that his way is easy. Perhaps I need to take those words more seriously, if I claim to be a Christ-follower. Perhaps this easy attitude toward doing the next right thing might both inform and transform the execution of my plan. Perhaps such an attitude might transform me!
I’ll try it and let you know.
Postscript: My sponsor replied: “Yes, I did intend the execution of the plan is the easy part.
There is a goal and a plan. Do or do not execute the plan. At completion of the plan, celebrate.
Executing a plan can take determination, commitment, and effort.”
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