Daily devotional, February 12, 2024 Changing lanes
"But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old selfwith its practices"
Colossians 3:8-9
I still remember my first-ever traffic violation. The enforcer flagged me down as I approached an intersection, and with my heart beating fast I respectfully asked if I violated a traffic rule. The kind officer told me that he saw me swerving, and that it is considered a form of reckless driving. I apologized and gave him my driver’s license. Sensing my fear as a first-time offender, he let me off with a warning, and I profusely thanked him.
After that incident I became more mindful of my driving habits. I did not want to be branded as a reckless driver after all, and I did not want to compromise my safety and that of others. As Christians, habits are important because it dictates how our lives will turn out. Therefore, being aware of our bad habits could help us in improving our character so that we can grow more in Christlikeness.
The challenge though is that unlike traffic violations, there is no CCTV or a person who is in charge of telling us that our habits are wrong or destructive. This is particularly true as we reach adulthood, and become independent from our parents. The only people who can tell us off are either our bosses, or our respective spouses, and relatives and friends who may be concerned about our well-being.
Not everyone though can be open to such call-outs. Usually it causes disagreements, resentments, and it could even break relationships. To avoid such issues, regular reflection and self-assessment are important. In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul the Apostle urged early Christians to turn away from bad habits that marked their lives prior to being a follower of Jesus:
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old selfwith its practices" Colossians 3:5-9
The Bible is a treasure trove of everything that could help us remain on a straight path. The Ten Commandments for instance were not given to us for the Lord’s own sake or pleasure. It is given to us for our own good.
"You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess."
Deuteronomy 5:33
Our best guide in breaking our bad habits is following Jesus. We will only know how to closely follow Him if we know his character and His words. Therefore, regularly reading the Holy Scriptures is a must. Every passage in the Bible is meant to be a guide for us on how we should live our lives. It is also a manual on how we can help others stay in the light.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Godmay be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
So how do we break bad habits? Well, first we should know which of our habits are wrong, destructive, and do not lead us to Christlikeness. In one of his preachings, Senior Pastor and Founder of Life Church Craig Groeschell said that the clues to the habits we may want to change are the following:
1. Habits that are being pointed to us by at least two of our trusted loved ones. For instance they may comment about the way you speak to the elders, how you dress up, how you relate to your children, or how much cuss words you say etc. If you see a common and godly advice brought up by people sincerely concerned about you then you may want to reassess that habit or behavior of yours.
2. Habits that you rationalize. What is one habit of yours that you tend to justify to yourself or to others? Is it over-indulgence in food because of an overwhelming schedule? Taking out of town and out of the country trips even if it is not on the budget, saying that you need to get away from busyness from time to time? Spending a bit more time than you should on social media, saying that it is your only way to relax and that you are not doing anyone harm? Acting with rage after a road traffic or social media altercation, saying that the person concerned should be taught a lesson so that she will not victimize others?
If there is one habit that you give a lot of explanations for — both to yourself and your loved ones — then this is a habit you may want to think through and consider changing.
3. Habits you are too defensive about. What makes you so defensive? What makes you go bonkers when it is pointed out to you? Tardiness in appointments or work? Habitually maxing out your credit card whenever you feel stressed? Your spouse pointing out that you are too mean or cranky on the kids? If there is a habit that gets you suddenly building a wall in between yourself and others, then that could be the habit that you must change.
"He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13
The best way though to identify the habits to change is by having a regular accounting with the Lord. During your quiet time, tell the Lord the failures and mistakes you have incurred since your last “sit down” time with Him and ask Him for the courage and confidence to try to change this behavior or habit. Dwell in His words so that you will know His commands and get to know His character well.
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11
When we soak up in God’s words and examine ourselves regularly, we get enlightened and empowered to grow in faith and in Christlikeness. If we are to change lanes, we should swerve not to the point of sinning and recklessness, but towards a path to truth and righteousness in Jesus.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Colossians 3:5-15 and Ephesians 4:24-31 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you have habits that you need to change? How can God help you improve on your character?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for being merciful to me and giving me the chance to improve my character. Please give me the confidence to truly follow you, so that I could shed my bad habits and grow more in Christlikeness. Amen.