Resetting our habits. We each have good habits and bad habits. Godly habits can make a big difference in our Christian walk. When we put good habits to grow our relationship with God into place our lives will change.
A few years ago, my husband and I developed the good habit of getting up at 4:30 and heading to the gym. We maintained this routine for about 4 or 5 years. Since then, a lot has happened in our lives, and we're not currently keeping up with it. However, it was beneficial as we aimed to stay active and healthy.
The Bible teaches us that cultivating habits in our daily lives requires effort and is valuable. Colossians 3:23 states, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
Regardless of the habits we adopt, they require effort and intentionality. So, whether it's prayer, rest, worship, generosity, forgiveness, or making wise choices, we must make a conscious effort.
When I was young, I had the bad habit of biting my fingernails. My grandmother constantly advised me to stop, but it had become so ingrained that it was unconscious. I believe it wasn't until college that I made a deliberate effort to quit, which required heightened awareness to overcome. Eventually, I succeeded.
During high school, I decided to give up caffeine because I was consuming too many soft drinks. So, I made a firm decision one day to abstain from them. I recall experiencing significant fatigue for about two days, but I managed to refrain from caffeine for 12 years (until after I had kids), now limiting myself to coffee in the mornings.
While neither of these habits was terribly detrimental, they were still habits I wanted to break. Successfully doing so proved to myself that I possessed the willpower to stick to my decisions.
Philippians 4:13 affirms, "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
Now, I can utilize that strength from the Lord to establish new, positive habits, like taking time to rest, pray, and commune with Him, even if it's just for 5 minutes a day.
Though our daily habits may seem individual, the Bible reminds us that we need encouragement, both to receive from others and to offer freely.
Hebrews 10:24-25 urges us, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Remember this as you strive to incorporate new, positive habits into your life. Taking the time to support others in their endeavors to enhance their lives is always worthwhile and may even bolster our own motivation.