When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it. There are times when we are aware of becoming virtuous and godly, but this awareness should only be a stage we quickly pass through as we grow spiritually. If we stop at this stage, we will develop a sense of spiritual pride. The right thing to do with godly habits is to immerse them in the life of the Lord until they become such a spontaneous expression of our lives that we are no longer aware of them. Our spiritual life continually causes us to focus our attention inwardly for the determined purpose of self-examination, because each of us has some qualities we have not yet added to our lives.

Your god may be your little Christian habit— the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, “I can’t do that right now; this is my time alone with God.” No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you. Identify your shortcoming and then look for opportunities to work into your life that missing quality.

Love means that there are no visible habits— that your habits are so immersed in the Lord that you practice them without realizing it. If you are consciously aware of your own holiness, you place limitations on yourself from doing certain things— things God is not restricting you from at all. This means there is a missing quality that needs to be added to your life. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there someplace where you are not at home with God? Then allow God to work through whatever that particular circumstance may be until you increase in Him, adding His qualities. Your life will then become the simple life of a child.

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Journaling for today’s devotional

May 12, 2010

I wonder if I have the discipline and courage to stand for Jesus when it is more my natural self to try to forget or put my mind on other things. Where can I find the strength to follow Jesus and be available to Him open and connected even when I am being tried and found guilty by a colleague or an internal pressure of some maturity?

And God says…”I know every flaw every blemish, every scheme of yours before you were born. I know every failure before it occurs. I know this about every human. Why then do you think the sacrifice was so magnificent?

You do not have the courage; you do not have the strength, which is why you have the Holy Spirit inside of you. That is why I can live in you in the Spirit. I provide the strength and courage and discipline. And when you choose to ignore the urging Spirit, I am still there when you return. I will never let you go, and nothing can separate us. You have the freedom to be open, honest and transparent. You have my power when you choose to access the Spirit. When you choose NOT to access the Spirit, and make a bad decision, I am still here washing you, cleansing you and standing you right back up.

Your witness is not necessarily in the good you do all the time, but in the hearts and lives you touch openly with the love of Christ. Forget your propensity to fail, I have forgotten it. Stay engaged with others and watch your Spirit grow and come alive.

So how do I prepare for the challenges, the tests and trials that come against me?

Know that I have already overcome them all on your behalf

What if I fail over and over and over?

You have and will. Simply let me live through, you and turn around and look at yourself next month, next year.

That doesn’t speak too highly of my discipline and my strength.

No it does not. You can only trust and glorify Jesus. He is the strength and courage and discipline of your live.