Habit Forming

 “. . . Continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].” (Philippians 2:12 AMP)

What are some of the first things you do each morning? Say a prayer of thanks for a good night’s rest and a new day? Quiet time with God; exercise; enjoy a favorite beverage while catching up on current events? Routinely performing the same tasks forms habits; something we do without giving it any thought—we willingly yield to it.

The Apostle Paul says we are to work out what God has put in us. What has He put in us? Himself—God, the Holy Spirit, lives in every believer and makes available every resource we need to grow in our pursuit of spiritual maturity and knowledge of Him. Whether our daily habit-forming decisions are worthwhile depends on what we cultivate in the process.

God saved us, but He will not make us godly. We achieve godliness by walking with Him daily, living in obedience to His Word—it’s a decision we make. God has given us everything we need to live a godly life; precious promises that “enable you to share in His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desire” (2 Peter 1:4). We are to respond to God’s promises by adding to our faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love for everyone (v. 5–7). God will never impose righteous living; we must rid ourselves of harmful or unproductive habits and choose to live rightly; they do not automatically happen. As godly qualities develop in our lives, the more productive we become, growing in our Lord and Savior's knowledge and understanding.