I listened to an inspiring talk about good habits earlier this week (Atomic Habits). Small habits change so much in our lives. But it's often difficult to stick with it because the reward for a good habit, such as jogging, is usually in the future and it takes effort to start doing it. But only with good habits can we achieve our goals.
"The best way to change long-term behavior is with short-term feedback!" (Seth Godin)
It helps if you have a list or an agenda where you can tick off your (daily) goal. So that you are motivated to stick to it and not break the chain. Measuring and documenting our progress gives our brain an immediate reward. Consistency and repetition then form habits that change us. We not only achieve our goal through good habits, we change our identity! My goal is not just to write a book, I want to be a writer. And every time I write, I am a writer. My actions determine who I am. It's the same with sports, art, music or other dreams. You just have to do it.
I think this is also true with Christian discipleship. If we want to follow Jesus and live a holy life, we must also take one step at a time. Looking at him, at our goal. And the goal is not just behavior change, that we are good people and go to heaven. The goal is identity change. We want to become like Jesus! This goal could (only slightly...) overwhelm us.
We can only change one habit at a time. Take one small step at a time. And we will make mistakes and stumble. But if we stick to it and move on, we will reach our goal. Jesus promised that he would bring the good work in us to the goal, and that it would not depend on us. Thank God.
I like the word “disciple”. It's so closely related to the word discipline.
It takes discipline to stay tuned. Discipline to practice good habits and repeat them again and again. Reading the Bible every day, for example. A Bible reading plan to tick (matching the tip from the talk) helps me with this. I've been doing this for years and it became a good habit for me. Not that it's about getting through the whole Bible as quickly as possible and impressing God with my list. But because I know that God's Word has power to change my identity. It's good for me. God's Word is alive and creates something new. God's Word is like a good seed in my heart and character. And just this one good habit of reading the Bible after breakfast every day has changed my life tremendously over the years. For a few months now I have been combining reading the Bible with stretching exercises, Christian yoga, so to speak. Does me good. My other good habits include: Blogging regularly. Writing 1000 words on a book four times a week (that's how my first children's novel was written, which will be published next spring!). Going for a walk in the forest every day. Good habits. No idea if this also helps others, but I seem to be a creature of habit and it helps me to document my concrete goal for the day! Surely there are many other good new habits that are possible to create. And especially the tip of immediate feedback is interesting and helpful.
What good habits have you acquired? And what good habit would you like to start with? Who do you want to be?
The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope.
As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work.
We pray that you´ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul - not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurabel and spills over into joy,
thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
Jesus got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.
from Colossians 1:4-14