Habits. We all have them. For most of us, I’m going to guess that our daily routine on a normal day is probably pretty consistent. Maybe in the mornings you wake up with an alarm, you make some coffee and breakfast, you drive to work or school, eat lunch, scroll on social media, etc. In the evenings, you probably eat dinner, maybe you scroll on social media some more, hang out with friends or family, watch tv, then get ready for bed. Whatever it is that you do, I would be willing to bet that your normal days pretty much always look pretty similar. These things that you do over and over, day after day aren’t even conscious decisions anymore because they have become “habit” to you. The habits we have today are shaping who we will be tomorrow. That’s why if you want to change where you’re going and who you are becoming, you first need to change your habits.
So, I’ll ask you this: Who do you want to be? And how do you become that person? I think to start, we should look at the patterns, or habits, we have developed. Our patterns have a major affect on us. A lot of us have bad habits that have formed in our lives and we may be completely blind to the negative impact they have on our lives. So, what do we do? We first need to acknowledge them so that we can know how to change them. Whether it’s gossiping, being quick anger, complaining, laziness, social media, etc. Whatever it may be, define it so you can break it. A lot of times, it’s really hard for us to completely get rid of or cut something out of lives that we are used to having, right? So, I want to encourage you to replace your old habit with a new one. Maybe it’s reading, writing, exercising, or picking up a new enjoyable hobby. Choose something that will encourage you and make you better.
Galatians 6:7-8 says this, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Negative or positive, we reap what we sow. The beginning of this verse clearly defines the negative impact and consequences for us if we continue walking in unhealthy patterns and doing things that satisfy our flesh. But guys! Praise God for the encouragement from that next verse! When we walk in a manner that pleases the Lord, we have the greatest gift of all – eternal life! As much as we focus on the negative reasons for why we should break our bad habits, we also need to focus on the positive reasons why we should. Let us all be reminded of the vast promises and blessings from God when we choose him!
I want to encourage you that you are not your patterns. Your bad habits do not define you. Do not give them that power over you. Don’t let them stand in the way of pursuing the purpose God has for your life. After you acknowledge the unhealthy habits, pursue freedom from them because you are not tied down to them. With God, you have the power to break free! If you don’t like the outcome of where you are headed, what are you going to do about it? Sit it in it and feel sorry for yourself, worried that this is now your destiny? Or are you going to make the decision to change your patterns, choosing a new and positive direction? YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.
Make the changes. Even if they are small changes, they are still powerful, and God can still use them. It may not be easy, it may not be convenient, it may not even feel purposeful in the moment. But I promise it will be worth it. Be obedient and seek God in all things. Prioritize him in your habits. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.
Challenges:
- Pray fervently for these habits to be broken. You can’t break them on your own. Ask the Lord to go before you and then walk obediently with him.
- Check your surroundings. We become like the people we spend our time with. Find people who love the Lord, want the best for you and will walk alongside you while pushing you to be better. Be open with them and ask for accountability.
- Stop making excuses. Make an active plan that will lead you to break your bad habits. Choose one habit to make and one habit to break.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for a new day! Thank you for sending your son to die a death that we deserve so we can have a personal relationship with you. And thank you that we get to walk alongside you today, seeking you first in all that we do. I pray that you would open our eyes to the habits in our lives that are misguiding us and negatively affecting us. I pray for strength to break those habits and to build up healthy ones. I pray for our confidence in you to be so strong that we are confident in exactly who you made us to be! I pray that we would walk in a manner worthy and pleasing to you, God. May we choose patterns that push us closer to you, even if they are uncomfortable or difficult. We know that when we choose to follow you, you are with us in all that we do! We give you all the glory, honor and praise that you deserve! In Jesus’ name! Amen!
Habits. We all have them. For most of us, I’m going to guess that our daily routine on a normal day is probably pretty consistent. Maybe in the mornings you wake up with an alarm, you make some coffee and breakfast, you drive to work or school, eat lunch, scroll on social media, etc. In the evenings, you probably eat dinner, maybe you scroll on social media some more, hang out with friends or family, watch tv, then get ready for bed. Whatever it is that you do, I would be willing to bet that your normal days pretty much always look pretty similar. These things that you do over and over, day after day aren’t even conscious decisions anymore because they have become “habit” to you. The habits we have today are shaping who we will be tomorrow. That’s why if you want to change where you’re going and who you are becoming, you first need to change your habits.
So, I’ll ask you this: Who do you want to be? And how do you become that person? I think to start, we should look at the patterns, or habits, we have developed. Our patterns have a major affect on us. A lot of us have bad habits that have formed in our lives and we may be completely blind to the negative impact they have on our lives. So, what do we do? We first need to acknowledge them so that we can know how to change them. Whether it’s gossiping, being quick anger, complaining, laziness, social media, etc. Whatever it may be, define it so you can break it. A lot of times, it’s really hard for us to completely get rid of or cut something out of lives that we are used to having, right? So, I want to encourage you to replace your old habit with a new one. Maybe it’s reading, writing, exercising, or picking up a new enjoyable hobby. Choose something that will encourage you and make you better.
Galatians 6:7-8 says this, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Negative or positive, we reap what we sow. The beginning of this verse clearly defines the negative impact and consequences for us if we continue walking in unhealthy patterns and doing things that satisfy our flesh. But guys! Praise God for the encouragement from that next verse! When we walk in a manner that pleases the Lord, we have the greatest gift of all – eternal life! As much as we focus on the negative reasons for why we should break our bad habits, we also need to focus on the positive reasons why we should. Let us all be reminded of the vast promises and blessings from God when we choose him!
I want to encourage you that you are not your patterns. Your bad habits do not define you. Do not give them that power over you. Don’t let them stand in the way of pursuing the purpose God has for your life. After you acknowledge the unhealthy habits, pursue freedom from them because you are not tied down to them. With God, you have the power to break free! If you don’t like the outcome of where you are headed, what are you going to do about it? Sit it in it and feel sorry for yourself, worried that this is now your destiny? Or are you going to make the decision to change your patterns, choosing a new and positive direction? YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.
Make the changes. Even if they are small changes, they are still powerful, and God can still use them. It may not be easy, it may not be convenient, it may not even feel purposeful in the moment. But I promise it will be worth it. Be obedient and seek God in all things. Prioritize him in your habits. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.
Challenges:
- Pray fervently for these habits to be broken. You can’t break them on your own. Ask the Lord to go before you and then walk obediently with him.
- Check your surroundings. We become like the people we spend our time with. Find people who love the Lord, want the best for you and will walk alongside you while pushing you to be better. Be open with them and ask for accountability.
- Stop making excuses. Make an active plan that will lead you to break your bad habits. Choose one habit to make and one habit to break.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for a new day! Thank you for sending your son to die a death that we deserve so we can have a personal relationship with you. And thank you that we get to walk alongside you today, seeking you first in all that we do. I pray that you would open our eyes to the habits in our lives that are misguiding us and negatively affecting us. I pray for strength to break those habits and to build up healthy ones. I pray for our confidence in you to be so strong that we are confident in exactly who you made us to be! I pray that we would walk in a manner worthy and pleasing to you, God. May we choose patterns that push us closer to you, even if they are uncomfortable or difficult. We know that when we choose to follow you, you are with us in all that we do! We give you all the glory, honor and praise that you deserve! In Jesus’ name! Amen!