Habits

Everyone has habits. Habits are those repetitious things that we do without much and sometimes any thought. Habits can be good, but at the same time bad. I am a very habitual person. It’s not very hard for me to make a new habit…but yet, like most, breaking them is harder.

Habits can rule our lives if we let them. Most of us probably let some habits depict what we do day by day without even knowing it! In some ways that is good. But at the same time….if it’s not something that we ought to be doing all the time it can be detrimental.

Some habits are simple and useful things like brushing your teeth after you get up. Somehow it just makes the whole day go better. There are also things like closing doors and drawers after you are done with them, putting cooking things away as you use them, finishing a project before starting another one and the list can go on. There are things that are habits that we don’t even think about. Like what you do with your hands while you read or watch a movie. This reminds me of Mr. Deeds in “Mr. Deeds goes to Town.” (The Frank Capra one) He points out that everyone has little things that they do without thinking when they are doing seemingly mindless things. This is so true! Try to pay attention to what you do when watching a movie…you might be surprised!

So we now get to habits that are purposeful. These things are very important. Things like eating three times a day, exercising regularly, having good cleanliness and so on. We would turn into perfect slobs if we just lived each day with no goals or structure. Habits are what keep the day going as it should.

But now, I’d like to take this to the next level. As a Christian, one should have good Bible study and prayer time habits. We should gather for worship on a regular basis with other faithful Christians. If we only do these things “on a whim” basis we will not be the kind of strong and faithful Christians that we ought to be.

I have learned that when one adds regular Bible study and prayer time to one’s daily schedule not only does the day go better but we draw closer to God and His will. I have tried for the last year to make daily Bible study (Yes, some days I only read a few chapters) a part of my daily routine. I like to do it best in the morning when my mind is fresh but you know how life goes! Some days it takes all I can do to make sure it gets in there, much less in the morning! Satan wants me to not be able to study every day. But he’s not going to win that one!

While we have these habits that help (or sometimes hinder) our lives we must not get caught up in them to the point that we are not flexible. Some days don’t go anything like what we planned…and sometimes nothing like we have done in the past! Living in the mission field you soon see that “normal” means that every day you have a different set of challenges to face and the only thing that stays the same is…well that things keep changing! If we let habits rule our lives to the point that we are not flexible when we need to be, we will not be happy. But at the same time there has to be a balance. We need to have some kind of structure to our daily life or we will never accomplish anything. This is where flexibility comes in. As the days go by, have plans, but also know that those plans may change or be pushed out of the way for a day or two. It’s all about how we handle those hurdles of life that matter! We can get all stressed out and make ourselves and those around us miserable or we can do the opposite.

In conclusion, give thought to the habits that you have-big or little. Are they the kind of habits that you need to have or want to have? If not, change them! Replace them with better habits, habits that will better your life. And above all, make sure that God is high on the “to get done daily” list! It will make every day that much better!