It’s hard to believe there’s only two months left in 2021. The holidays always seem to fly by and before we know it, the new year will be upon us. This is when we usually start to decide on resolutions…things we want to try, give up, or finally accomplish. Many habits are hard to break and there’s something about a new year that gives us hope for a fresh start. When it comes to our spiritual lives, thankfully, we don’t need to wait (and really, shouldn’t!) for a new year to start a new habit.
I can think back to certain Bible studies and ladies’ classes I’ve been to and can remember listening to some ladies who I knew without a doubt had a strong faith and knowing that it didn’t happen by chance. I knew that they didn’t just wake up one day and have a strong prayer life and disciplined Bible study habits. My first thoughts tended to be, “They’re probably way more disciplined of a person than I am,” or “maybe one day I’ll be as strong as they are,” or “I don’t even know where to start to develop habits like they have,” and would be a little discouraged that a mountain was ahead of me that I really didn’t know how to climb. But what it is important after thoughts like those are to recognize that they are not true. Those are thoughts that Satan wants us to think so that we won’t even try. But as they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
As a southerner, I’m ashamed to admit that I really don’t like vegetables. Like, any of them. And I never have, especially as a kid. I mean, I will eat them and they’re not that bad but I would rather have cake. However, I know that to be healthy, I need to eat vegetables and the more I eat them, I find that I enjoy them a little more than I used to. If I want them to be part of my meals every day, would I start by cooking 5 different vegetables for every meal and expect to enjoy them? Probably not the best way to start. But, if I decided to have one vegetable a day for a week, and then add another the next week, while finding different ways to cook and season them, over time I would find that they’re much more enjoyable and would become a daily habit that is part of every meal.
If I expect to become a strong Christian overnight, but never work to add daily prayer and Bible study to my daily habits, I will be in for a disappointing reality. Small daily changes will lead to big, lifelong results. But, we must put in the effort to reap the benefits, now and eternally.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18