Habits

Remember that your character is the sum total of your habits.  Rick Warren

Have you ever tried to break a bad habit?  What about this?  Have you ever tried to start a good habit? 

The definition of a habit is “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.  An established disposition of the mind or character.”

So we all know that we can have bad habits and good habits.  How do we focus on the good habits and get rid of the bad?

Almost ten years ago I had some bad habits.  Still do for that matter but I continue to work on them.  One of my bad habits was that I didn’t study my Bible regularly.  So I am going through life not studying my Bible regularly and then “BAM”.  Cancer.  Boy did that ever get  my attention.  All of a sudden my life was on the line and the future didn’t look so encouraging.

 

What I learned from this one experience was that God can redeem us and often does.  He can draw us away from the sinful habits in our lives and turn them into good.  The thing is we have to want to be closer to Him. If we don’t practice good habits we will remain in the bad ones. 

So nine or so years ago I decided to form a new habit.  I would get up early every day and devote time to reading my Bible and studying His Word.  I didn’t have enough confidence to write my own devotionals so I started sharing other people’s devotionals that encouraged me to continue this good habit. 

After a couple of years my sister encouraged me to think about writing my own.  I am not sure why she thought I could do that because I certainly didn’t see it and I really didn’t think anyone would want to read anything I wrote. 

This habit that started ten years ago has become my best habit.  I get up at 4:15am so that I can drive 37 miles and be at work an hour and a half early.  I don’t start work until 7:45am but I am at the office between 6:00am & 6:15am.  I can’t tell you the number of people at work who see me in my office when they arrive and then see me there when they leave.  They will come up to me and ask me if I ever go home.  I tell them the same thing when they ask.  "I come in early to spend time with God and to write a daily devotional."  

I don’t say this to tell you how great I am.  I tell you this because I formed a good habit that has stuck with me for 10 years.  I am very protective of my God time in the morning.  There are days when my alarm goes off and I think, man I could sleep in, leave at 7:00am and not be tired in the evening.  Then I think about not starting my day with the Lord and I just can’t do it.  This doesn’t mean that I don’t fail every once in a while, because I do. 

This habit has taught me to spend time with God no matter what the circumstances.  Start a good habit of spending time with the Father.  

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, you mean everything for my good.  Through a major trial in my life, You helped me to come back to You.  You are amazing Father and I thank you for the blessing of cancer because it helped me see you again.  Thank you for getting my attention in a profound way that forever changed my life.  You are my Rock. 

    

Scripture: Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.  Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.  And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.  2 Timothy 2:14-26