Collins' Column
As much as 40% of your actions aren’t conscious decisions, but habits. Day in and day out, you repeat these specific behaviors as if on autopilot. Ultimately, your life becomes the sum of all these unconscious customs, for better or worse. Therefore, it’s crucial that you frequently reassess your routines and ask God how you might improve them.
In the meantime, you can start developing the following healthy habits to become a more mindful, God-respecting Christian.
1. Prioritize Quiet Time
When life gets busy, the last thing you probably want to do is slow down. Instead, you go into beast mode, push through the pain and keep going. While there is a time and place for soldiering on, it’s equally important to slow down and quiet yourself before the Lord. Spending this time meditating on His word and listening for His direction will renew your strength so you can check everything off your to-do list. Therefore, you must make a habit of prioritizing time with Him.
Set aside an hour — or maybe just 10 minutes — each day to read your Bible, pray and tune into whatever the Holy Spirit might be telling you. Whether you do so in the morning, at night or both, this habit is sure to make you more mindful of your daily decisions and how you spend your time.
2. Attend Sunday Service
Even before the pandemic, less than 30% of Christians were attending church on a regular basis. Now, you might even be tempted to stay home and catch Sunday service when you have the time. However, Hebrews 10:25 reads, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.”
In other words, you should return to in-person fellowship as soon as possible. Doing so will help you grow in your faith and your relationships with other believers. Plus, if you have children, the church will help point them to a saving knowledge of Christ, which should be among Christian parents’ top priorities.
3. Serve Others Weekly
Many Christians take God’s command to be in the world but not of it a little too literally. Instead of involving themselves in their community, they disengage and dive headlong into attending church. However, this habit is quite contrary to what Jesus taught and exemplified. Did He not dine with tax collectors and sinners?
If you’re to reach others for Christ, you must be willing to meet them where they are. One way to fulfill this calling is to serve your community each week. Making a habit of volunteering at the local soup kitchen or visiting elderly neighbors. Find small ways to help the less fortunate and focus your efforts on loving others the way Christ loves you.
4. Go Green
In the second chapter of Genesis, God tells Adam and Eve to tend to the Earth and watch over it. Today, it’s still mankind’s responsibility to protect the planet and Christians can do so by going green.
Whether you choose to recycle, bring your own bags to the grocery store or start a compost pile, there are plenty of ways to conserve resources and minimize waste. Riding an electric bike to school or work can also reduce your carbon footprint by replacing some of your motor vehicle miles. You’ll also save quite a bit of money as recharging electric batteries is much cheaper than fueling a car.
5. Give Thanks
The Bible contains dozens of verses that address the topic of thankfulness, and their message is clear: Give thanks to God in and for everything. The more you do, the easier — and more habitual — it becomes. Eventually, gratitude will transform your actions and help you make more compassionate, Christ-centered decisions.
Cultivate a more grateful heart by keeping a gratitude journal or by simply thanking God aloud for everything He’s blessed you with each day. This habit will change your outlook on life and help you trust in Him to provide.
6. Plan Your Meals
Both Christians and non-Christians like to make a habit of eating healthy. However, Christ followers do so because their body is a temple for the Holy Spirit and a living sacrifice for the Lord. Your physical form is also a gift from God, a chance to live and breathe and share His word with others. The better you take care of it, the more opportunities you’ll have to share and experience God.
Make a habit of eating healthy by planning your meals in advance. Pay attention to quality and quantity as you fill your plate and try to be mindful of each bite. Drinking plenty of water can also boost your overall health and help you maintain a healthy diet.
Living Intentionally
You only have so many years on this earth, so you better use them wisely. Luckily, developing healthy, God-honoring habits can help you do just that. By replacing old routines with new ones, you can live intentionally and make the best use of your time.
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