ROUTINE OFTEN GETS DULL AND BORING, BUT IT IS A BLESSING WHEN YOUR PROCESS HAS A PURPOSE

                                          ROUTINE DAYS

          WHY DO WE REPEAT THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

“…One person esteems one DAY above another; another esteems EVERY DAY alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.…” (ROMANS 14:5 KJV). “…This is the DAY which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it...” (PSALMS 118:24 KJV).

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Routine or repetitiveness gives people their sense of security or control where skills, abilities, and self-discipline can develop in a safe, fairly stationary, or predictable place. “…Jesus said to the crowd, “…I was there teaching EVERY DAY…” (Matthew 26:55 NLT). “…And EVERY DAY, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah….” (Acts 5:42 NLT).

Routine brings up words like dull, dismal, monotonous, boring, and repetitive. People see routine as inflexible, unexciting, constraining, obligatory, limiting, and often without spontaneity.

Some routines are on a schedule. A schedule helps keep process on track and ensure certain tasks are done every single day. Without a schedule some routine tasks may never get done and could cause things to get chaotic.

Schedules give routine a little structure and help them run a lot smoother. When routine runs smooth life can appear more dependable, predictable, and peaceful.

Scheduled routines keep life somewhat under control or organized. For instance, you know what specific tasks need to be done every day. You can relax once you know essential tasks are complete. You can personally choose which task must be completed on any particular day and which ones can be put off for another day. You can procrastinate or you can total redo a routine schedule at your leisure.

Routine aids in developing an individual’s skills, abilities, and self-discipline by increasing efficiency from repetitiveness, building one’s momentum, producing positive habits, and can turn willpower to motivation.

Increasing efficiency from repetitiveness means the more you do it the more it becomes a habit or way of life. Walking, talking, feeding yourself, dressing yourself, and sleeping when tired all become habits.

Building momentum means small tasks done on a daily basis can end up reaping big results in the long run. Saving $100 a month can turn into $1,200 dollars a year.

Producing positive habits or automations means you can choose daily tasks that are good for you, for your health, for your family, and for your goals in life. Daily, routine exercising is a good habit.

Turning willpower into motivation means essential tasks eventually become automated and thus bypass will power altogether. Brushing your teeth becomes automated.

Research has shown that routine has created geniuses because there are very few or minimal distractions. In routine the mind can concentration on a task in a safe, stable, and reliable atmosphere allowing focus to become experience. When there are few distractions and focus is allowed, routine tasks move forward to completion

Routine tasks are interrupted when other non-essential tasks interfere to decrease or totally stop the process altogether. Stopping process can become counter-productive to the point you will stop doing the task, give little focus to the task, or start habits of procrastination.

Procrastination in routine can become bad or negative habits too and you will discover you NEVER get things done. Sometimes an accountability partner can help keep your routine flourishing as long as they don’t have the same negative routine behaviors.

Routine can include many days of dull, dismal, monotonous, and repetitiveness tasks However, routine is one of your greatest blessings EVER.

Routine gives one focus, and focus results in experience, and experience result in automated behaviors, and automated behaviors result in lifestyles. “…In this world we are like Jesus…” (1 John 4:17 NIV).

Routine play an important role in the PROCESS with a PURPOSE when it comes to the task of becoming conformed to the image of God’s son. “…God …predestined [you] to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (Romans 8:29 NIV). “…be transformed BY the renewing of your mind….” (Romans 12:1 KJV).

PROCESS with a PURPOSE is when God intervenes on the routine activities in your life to include tasks that are essential to your spiritual growth, development, and calling in life.

I was heavily involved with my daily routines of life when suddenly I got a piercing, lightening-like headache and had to go to the hospital. Suddenly I needed brain surgery.

Prior to that, my routine included care-giving for my 95 year old mother-in-law, finishing my doctorate, keeping up the house, taking care of my plants, exercising, counseling, and spending time with my husband.

I was in the hospital for three months. I was on the ICU schedule of routines for a few weeks and then on a rehabilitation schedule of routines for another few weeks.

When I went home on I was on a schedule of routines that revolved around recovery tasks. I left my home and came to recover in another state which turned into another set of routines.

Initially my mind felt so incredibly foggy and it was an effort to think clear or concentrate. I felt my life belonged to those around me and not to me at all. All I knew for sure was I needed to be selfish with my recovery. I mean, after all, I didn’t just have a cold; I had brain surgery.

There were battles going on among my family members, but it gave me a headache when I gave too much attention to their issues.

Plus I was highly emotional. I was upset about how this brain surgery had impacted my life, especially the routine tasks of my life. My physical balance was affected too. I was stumbling into everything. My concentration was affected. My speech was affected and my independence was affected.

My husband was taking care of his mother, so I went home with my mother so she could take care of me. I cried as if someone was beating me with a stick as I walked down the steps of my home, drove out of my driveway, away from my husband of almost 30 years, away from my comfortable routine, away from the state I’d come to love, away from good friends, away from my mother-in-law who was so dear to my heart, and away from a self I no longer knew.

I was only going away to recovery, but I knew my brain surgery had changed my life FOREVER. Already there was anger, controversy, bad blood, negative feelings, misunderstandings, and negatives among my family members. I had too little mental energy to defend, take sides, or be sensitive to any particular person’s feelings. My brain surgery had rattled me to the core and I didn’t want to go through it again. I went away to recovery.

Looking at me you would have never guessed anything had happened to me. When you don’t look pathetic enough you don’t get as much compassion, but that's NOT me.

On top of recovering from my brain surgery I had to deal with the rejection attitudes and behaviors of some family members. When you are sick you are at the mercy of those around you: good or bad; happy or sad; right or wrong.

I had lost ALL the routines of my life. I lost my independence. I lost freedoms. I lost comfort zones. I lost being close to my husband and mother-in-law. I lost being close to friends in my home state. I lost family relationships. I lost familiarity. I even lost my taste buds for chicken, my FAVORITE. I lost the ability to do activities I personally enjoyed. I lost choices. I lost the luxury of living my own life in my own style.

Suddenly I am in another state, with different people, restricted choices, limited freedoms, uncomfortable, not with my familiar routine, doing activities I don’t necessarily enjoy, and without the luxury of living my own life in my own style.

This is in no way a complaint against the people who have been there for me. I appreciate them all and thank God for them. These are and were MY personally, internal struggles.

PROCESS with a PURPOSE is when God intervenes on the routine activities in your life to include other and new sets of tasks that he DEEMS are essential to your spiritual growth, development, maturity, and calling in life.

My routine drastically changed. One good thing about ANY established routine is the independence to do daily tasks as you please; such as running errands. I could no longer drive. I could not run errands whenever I wanted to. Where or when I go somewhere depended on someone else. Initially this irritated me to no end, but beggars can’t be choosey.

People were doing ME a favor. If they wanted to take me somewhere they would and if they didn’t want to they didn’t have to. If they wanted to pick me up and take me somewhere they would and if not; they didn’t. You are at the mercy of others. Of course, if you have the money you could call a cab, an Uber, or find out how to take nearby public transportation. However, my physical balance didn’t allow me to be that independent.

I had to adjust my attitude. Nobody had to do anything for me and was under no obligation to take me everywhere I wanted to go. I was no longer independent. I was at their mercy and should be grateful for whatever they did decided to do for me.

I cried heartily over that reality.

Remember I said routine develops an individual’s skills, abilities, and self-discipline. The more I encountered the reality that I was no longer independent and I was at the mercy of others the more humble I became.

As days, weeks, and months, years passed the more routine it became that I was at the mercy of others. My attitude changed. I no longer cried about it and I no longer got angry about it. I became more humbled. I became more grateful. I chose love over attitude. I chose respect over disrespect. I chose acceptance of differences over judgment.

I knew eventually my independence would return to me in God’s timing, but in the meantime God continued the PROCESS of dependence; day in and day out.

God’s process with a purpose goes beyond training, practice, and shaping, but turns into conditioning and molding. God’s goal is to mature, conform, and transform you into his Son.

The routine of being at the mercy of others included many days of dull, boring, monotonous, and repetitive tasks. However, the routine of being at the mercy of others BLESSED me beyond compare.

When you establish your routine, normally you do whatever you want. When God intervenes and establishes a new routine you do what he wants. I DID NOT want to be at the mercy of others, but God wanted me to be at the mercy of others.

Why didn’t I want to be at the mercy of others? My personal pride. I didn’t like the idea of NEEDING people. I DIDN’T like to be at anyone’s mercy, because I didn’t want to OWE them. I DIDN’T like doing certain things or going certain places. I didn’t always like the rules other people lived by or always doing things “their” way.

What did the routine of being at someone’s mercy teach me? It taught me a new depth of humility. It taught me that letting other people help me was a blessing to them. It taught me letting people help me was God’s way of using his vessels to love others. It taught me that letting people help me gave them a purpose. It taught me that letting people help me was a blessing to me as well. It taught me I had a NEED for others and ultimately a NEED for God.

In addition, it taught me to do things that other people liked to do JUST because it made them happy. It taught me not to be threatened because other people do, believe, or see things different than you.

Most importantly, no matter how bad I wanted my independence back it would return in God’s perfect timing. Thus the ultimate lesson of all lessons became PATIENT SURRENDER.

PROCESS with a PURPOSE includes a certain amount of TIME for training, practice, shaping, conditioning, and molding.

Training is included in order to strengthen one’s information skills and abilities. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV).

Practice is included in order to sustain or cement those new skills and strengths. “…Be conformed to the image of his Son...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV).

Shaping (transforming) is included in order to ensure one behavior (skill or ability) eventually replaces another. “…transformed by the renewing (shaping) of [my] mind….” (Romans 12:2 KJV).  

Conditioning is included in order to improve one’s skills and abilities until they reach a state of maturity. ^“…until we …become mature (perfect), attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV).

Molding is included in order for a skill or ability to become personally desirable to repeat over and over again. “… [Therefore]… we all … are changed (molded) into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).

“…And in the PROCESS of time IT CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).

Remember, a PROCESS, of any kind, involves a sequence of actions or movements that effect forward changes. These forward changes can be a gradual, or rapid, or extremely slow, or a steady procession of activities.

Regardless of how fast or how slow the PROCESS; it is ALWAYS a continuous sequence of actions or movements with a definite purpose and end result. PROCESS aims to move or carry things or individuals forward.

The sequence of actions or movements, in a PROCESS, are individual tasks that ALL link together to produce a goal or reach an end result. The PROCESS of sequences and actions are about a thing or possibly an individual BECOMING altered through this procession of forward movements. Eventually, PROCESS will produce a result after a certain amount of time.

PROCESS is a sequence of actions and movements that require a certain amount of ROUTINE days and particular tasks that work together. In other words, PROCESS involves TIME and the WORKING together of  regular, routine tasks.

TIME is the biggest challenge of PROCESS. Most people get tired of the routine PROCESSES it requires. God has NOT changed his TIME allotted for PROCESS. “…I am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).  ^“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV).

God does NOT reduce the time allotted for the PROCESS of tasks necessary to complete a spiritual WORK in your life. “…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).

The PROCESS of TIME is part of the PROCESS with a PURPOSE. The PROCESS with a PURPOSE involves ROUTINE. ROUTINE “IS” a major part of the PROCESS OF TIME. “…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).

After TWO years my neuro doctor gave me the necessary papers to do simulation therapy that would ultimately lead to my release to drive again “IF” I pass the test. If I don’t past the first time I have to keep taking simulation therapy over and over again until I do pass. As I say before, the lesson of all lessons is PATIENCE SURRENDER. Its almost 2018 and I have not yet started simulation therapy. They are looking for a stimulation therapist.

“…My brethren ….the testing of your faith produces PATIENCE. But let PATIENCE have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing….” (James 1:2-4 KJV). “…Dear brothers and sisters …when your faith is tested, your ENDURANCE has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your ENDURANCE is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing….” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

The testing of your faith, particularly during PROCESS, produces PATIENCE. PATIENCE is one of the GREATEST blessings that come out of PROCESS. It is the PROCESS of TIME and ROUTINE that usually develops PATIENCE,

In the PROCESS of TIME,  routine training, practice, shaping, conditioning, and molding develops PATIENCE, which part of the end result of a perfect and complete work of FAITH. “…My brethren ….the testing of your faith produces PATIENCE. But let PATIENCE have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing….” (James 1:2-4 KJV).

The PROCESS of collective works (in ROUTINE) MUST be complete in order to influence PATIENCE’s growth. “…So let it grow, for when your ENDURANCE (patience) is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing….” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

I said earlier that I learned a deeper humility. I needed others in a healthy, godly manner. I needed to allow others to help me as conduits of God’s blessing. I needed to be more impartial and equitable, and learn to truly respect differences without feeling as if it is some kind of threat.

I’d learned these lessons, but my situation REMAINED the same. I STAYED at the mercy of others LONG after the lessons were learned.

This is the most CHALLENGING part of routine and it will no doubt TEST your faith. This is where days of DULL, REPETITIVE, MONOTONOUS, BORING, and DRAB tasks will test your endurance. “…My brethren ….the testing of your faith produces PATIENCE….” (James 1:2-4 KJV).

The testing of faith happens in routine and it is tempting to take matters in your own hands. You may think “Enough already!”  Many people have complained that God takes TOO long. It is normal to tire of certain routines, especially if they include pain, lack of independence, limitations, loss of some kind, sickness, or few choices. Yet God says, “….let PATIENCE have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete (grown), lacking nothing….” (James 1:2-4 KJV).

Routine becomes a path to full-grown spiritual maturity (perfect and complete). God has personally ordered this aspect of routine in your journey. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way…” (Psalms 37:23 KJV).

Thus, “….let PATIENCE have its perfect work….” (James 1:2-4 KJV). The PROCESS with a PURPOSE must be completed and will involve the necessary tasks to glean the end result. It is a God-ordained way to reach the end goal. “…that you may be perfect (mature) and complete (grown), LACKING NOTHING….” (James 1:2-4 KJV).

The sequence of actions or movements, in a PROCESS, are individual tasks that ALL link together to produce PATIENCE. The PROCESS of sequences and actions is about you BECOMING altered (transformed, conformed, matured) through this procession of forward movements. Eventually, PROCESS will produce PATIENCE after a certain amount of time.

“…And in the PROCESS of time IT CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV). “…YOU HAVE “NEED” OF ENDURANCE (patience) …so you may receive the promise…” (HEBREWS 10:36 KJV).

“….LET US NOT GROW WEARY while doing good, for in DUE SEASON we shall reap if we do not lose heart…” (Galatians 6:9 KJV). “…‘We’ve given up everything to follow you…” (Mark 10:28-31 NLT). And Jesus said to him, “…I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brother, sisters, mothers, children, and property – along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life...” (Mark 10:28-31 NLT).

ROUTINE is part of the PROCESS with a PURPOSE. KEEP GOING. DON’T GIVE UP. KEEP TRUSTING GOD.