Tag: character

Your Habits

by | Oct 29, 2018 | Christianity

Your habits define your character!

Discipleship is the process of conforming to Christ; your journey will last a lifetime.

Every day God wants you to become a little more like him:

“You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you” (Colossians 3:10a NCV).

Today we’re obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness.

We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution.

We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release us from all growing pains.

But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving.

Growth is gradual.

The Bible says, “Our lives gradually [become] brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him”
(2 Corinthians 3:18b MSG).

People often build their identity around their defects.

We say, “It’s just like me to be …” and “It’s just the way I am.” The unconscious worry is that if I let go of my habit, my hurt, or my hang-up, who will I be? This fear can definitely slow down your growth.

Habits take time to develop.

Remember that your character is the sum total of your habits.

You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind — meaning you show kindness without even thinking about it.

You can’t claim to have integrity unless it is your habit to always be honest. A husband who is faithful to his wife most of the time is not faithful at all!

Your habits define your character.

There is only one way to develop the habits of Christ-like character:

You must practice them — and that takes time!

There are no instant habits.

Paul urged Timothy, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 GW).

This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren.

God’s Goal Is Your Character

God’s Goal Is Your Character

by | Oct 28, 2018 | Christianity

God’s Goal Is Your Character,
Not Your Comfort

“Take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you”
(Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG).

Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: You will never become God or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, they would be “as gods” (Genesis 3:5 KJV).

This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator.

God doesn’t want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character.

We are meant to “take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG).

God’s ultimate goal for your life on Earth is not comfort but character development.

He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone.

God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.

God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul’s great chapter on love, and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (Matthew 5:1-12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 1:5-8).

Every time you forget that character is one of God’s purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances.

You’ll wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables us to grow.

Remember, Earth is not Heaven.

Many Christians misinterpret Jesus’ promise of the “abundant life” (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect Heaven on Earth.

This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment.

But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, you will either become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality.

Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa.

Why would God provide Heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity?

God gives us our time on Earth to build and strengthen our character for Heaven.

– Rick Warren