In 1 Corinthians 9:25 I read, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (NIV)
I’ll grow when I develop good habits. This applies to every area of my life, including my spiritual growth. When I build good habits, I’m going to have good character. If I have good character, I’m going to have a great destiny. My character is the sum total of my habits.
The Bible says, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17 NIV).
I won’t get God’s blessing for knowing the right thing to do. Rather, I’ll get God’s blessing for doing the right thing and making it a habit in my life. I build habits, through repetition and practice. Study after study shows I have to do something, whether it’s exercise, diet, or a spiritual habit, every day for six weeks before it becomes a habit.
Doing only a few days of study and then skipping a day and then repeating the pattern over and over again is like rolling up a ball of string and dropping it. I keep undoing everything I’ve gained every time I miss a day.
I have to develop habits that I’ll use the rest of my life that will help me grow and be strong. Successful people are just normal people who decide to develop good habits that stay with them for the rest of their lives. I determine my habits, and my habits determine me.
“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV).
The good habits I build in my spiritual life are going to pay off forever in eternity.
In summary, to compete requires strict training. In this life many do this for a prize that won’t last. I do it for a prize that will last forever. I’ll grow when I develop good habits. This applies to every area of my life, including my spiritual growth. When I build good habits, I’m going to have good character. If I have good character, I’m going to have a great destiny. My character ends up being the sum total of my habits. I won’t get God’s blessing for just knowing the right thing to do, rather, I’ll get God’s blessing for doing the right thing and making it a habit in my life. I build habits through repetition and practice. I have to do something every day for six weeks before it becomes a habit. Doing it only a few days and then skipping a day, is like rolling up a ball of string and dropping it. I need to develop habits that I’ll use the rest of my life, ones that will help me grow and be strong. Successful people are just normal people who decide to develop good habits that stay with them for the rest of their lives. The good habits I build in my spiritual life are going to pay off forever in eternity.
Self-discipline requires an honest look at my strengths and weaknesses, with emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside me screams yes. Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling natural appetites toward God's purposes. What are my weak points? Pray for God's help to redirect weakness into strength.
Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me.
Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, and doing well and making a difference in my new job. I pray all these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.
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