Habits

Our lives are formed by our habits. I think we often like to dress up the idea of habits with words like devotion, and discipline; but, for me the simplicity of it comes down to habits. Then it boils down to, do my habits exhibit my goals? That is, do my daily habits align with the results I desire? Paul speaks to us about running a good race. I want to talk about training for that race. Are my habits conducive to being a good runner? The great athletes will tell you that the game is won in the preparation. The great ones have excellent training habits. I put forth that it is our habits that form us, or more precisely, conform us to Christ. In a society that wants an instant fix this is not a glamorous look at the Christian life.

The simple example in my life is that in seminary I fell out of the habit of shaving every morning. It seems so trivial, yet now it has taken me a few months of getting back in the habit of shaving every day. Now that it has been a part of my routine again for several months it is again a habit. Something that I viewed as a pain, as extra trouble, has now become integrated into my life.

As a Christian do my habits include, reading the word? Am I in prayer? Do I live in Christian community? Do I worship? Am I in Christian service? Are these my habits?
Do I have the habits of a disciple of Christ? If so then through the Holy Spirit I am being conformed to Christ.