Are you familiar with Interval Training? It is one of the most effective ways to cut out stubborn fat that accumulates in your body in highly visible places, such as your belly. Simply put, in Interval Training you do intense cardio in short bursts followed by a lengthier period of rest. So, for example, after warming up, you pedal your bike really  hard for 15 seconds until you are out of breath, rest for 45 and repeat the process 5 or 6 times. You are also advised to do Interval Training no more than 3 times a week.

In other words, it only takes about 10 minutes (including warm-up and cool-off time) to complete a workout. Do the math and you will discover to your surprise that it takes a total commitment of just 30 minutes per week to blast belly fat off! This is in stark contrast to most cardio routines where you sit and pedal for 30-60 minutes at a time, and still don’t make much of a dent in your fat content.

Needless to say I was skeptical when I first heard about this method, but having seen enough proof that it would produce the promised results, I decided to give it a try. The first week that I was consistent with Interval Training, I must admit that I saw no visible results. My waist size was still the same and my weight had not dropped significantly at all.

When I went back and re-read the workout instructions, there was a word of advice there, something like: “Don’t expect instant results. Don’t measure your weight or your waistline until you have consistently done I.T. for at least two weeks.” Duh!

Much to my surprise, at the end of the third week, I started noticing some visible results. My pants were fitting a bit more loosely around my waist and I had indeed shed a couple of pounds.

By the time I’d stuck to it faithfully for 6 weeks, I had to add extra holes in my belts, because my waistline had shrunk significantly!

The whole exercise taught me a valuable lesson on the power of The Cumulative Effect. Let me give you another example.

My wife Sulojana has been getting up an hour early, reading the Bible and spending time in prayer every day for quite a few years now. The first year or two, I could not honestly say that I noticed a significant difference in her. But, around the third year, I became aware of an increase in her spiritual strength that would sometimes catch me by surprise. Today not only does she know her Bible much better, but she knows the heart of the Father much more intimately as well. I know that it was the sheer power of The Cumulative Effect that was responsible for this amazing change.

I also recall how when I first started to deliver destiny words to others in a small group, the accuracy of the words I delivered was nowhere close to some of my peers in the same group. When I learned that there was a direct relationship between Intimacy with the Father and accuracy in hearing His voice, I started Soaking for a few minutes a day, every day. (Soaking is simply staying still in His Presence, with quiet music playing in the background).

Once again, there was no discernible difference for the first few months, but, gradually, I began to notice a positive change in the accuracy of the words. There was no other explanation than the power of The Cumulative Effect.

May I encourage you to realize and harness this power in your life as well? Whether it is with physical exercise, a spiritual discipline or skill development, please do not get discouraged when the results are not readily apparent at the outset. As the apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9: “We shall reap in due season, if we do not give up.”

Just keep on doing what you need to do and let God help you experience the powerful blessing known as The Cumulative Effect.