Part I: Habits of Change

It is hard to let familiar thought patterns go. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building, supporting them and developing habits that depend on them. Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses.

When I mention the word habit it sets off all kinds of images such as New Year’s resolutions or working on bad traits we display. I know when I think of these things I think of my lack of self-will to follow through on the changes I need to make. To most of us it does not take much self-introspection to discover the things we need to change since they nag at us on a daily basis. We want to change, but we somehow seem like the proverbial dog, which returns to his vomit.

The question we have to ask is change possible? If it is possible then how can we position ourselves for change? Yes change is possible, but we all know self-will can only take us so far and that being the case where do we muster the power to live in consistent change? I could talk about creating a plan, writing it down, breaking it down and repeating it till it becomes a habit. I think these things are good, however even the non-believer can apply these principles of self-will and see change in their lives.

Let’s look at what I see as the ultimate goal of changing. I see two aspects and it goes into everything that I write. The first is our ultimate goal, which is being transformed into the image of Christ, and the second is fulfilling the will of God for our personal lives. The two are tied together and when you untie them you always get into problems. If there is one thing that I have learned over the last 20 years of walking with the Lord and that is that we must keep the main thing the main thing. If we want true and lasting change then we have to be motivated from the right source.

The place of consistent change is learning to live from a place of rest, which sounds like a contradiction, but it is not. The book of Genesis is the book of beginnings and has all of the teachings of the Bible in it in seed form. In the first 3 chapters we see the creative nature and power of God as the source of all life. The book of Hebrews picks up on this theme of God’s creative power and source of life. In chapter 4 of Hebrews it says, “vs. 4 And God rested on the seventh day from all His works…vs. 9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Vs. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested form his works, as God did from His. Vs. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest.”

What is the rest of God and how do we live our lives out of this reality? The rest of God is the finished work of Christ. It is our total identification with His death, burial and resurrection. We are connected to the one who overcame death, hell and the grave. You can’t do anything more to gain God’s approval except to be still and marvel at what He has done for you. Your striving to be something or change yourself does not please Him. If you are living a life trying to please Him then you don’t understand the Father’s heart. Our identity as new creations in Christ is pleasing to Him. The Father sees you as one of His own with the very nature of His Son in you. When the Father looks upon you He sees you through the eyes of His Son.

How do you see yourself? The way you see yourself affects and reflects your actions. Your habits reflect what is inside of you. Your habits are a result of the way you see yourself. I have discovered that to walk in the will of God then I have to be willing to lay down my thoughts for His thoughts, my view for His view, my ways for His ways.

In Part II of this blog post I want to show you what it means to live life out of the new creation. What I have found is far too many that have been born again have never grown up into the identity of who they really are in Christ. Too many are still living in the shadows of the old man with a dirty pair of lenses barely able to see where they are going. We have to understand our new identity and develop the habits of living from that inward life of the Spirit to live life from the rest of heaven.

In preparing for this next lesson I am praying what Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus. Pray with me out of Ephesians 1:18-19, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory, of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”

Part II: Habits of Change