2 Simple Habits that Make All the Difference

The infrastructure of my world has shifted significantly these last couple of months.

At home, things are good. At least, as good as they can be when two teenage daughters are living with two middle-aged parents in a world full of cynicism and pain and unanswerable questions. We each have our days and our issues, but overall, I am very thankful for these three who are closest to me.

Just a bit further out, though, a support system that I’ve relied on my entire life is irrevocably changed. Now I find that I am the primary support system, and there are days when my pillars are shaky at best.

I’m not complaining. It’s a blessed privilege to be in a position—geographically and otherwise—to be able to assist two people who have loved me, prayed for me and helped me in countless ways for the past 48 years.

But when circumstances change suddenly in ways that nobody could have ever predicted, it takes a while to adjust. It takes a while to process, to grieve, to come to grips with the new normal—every time it changes.

It helps, I’m learning, if you have a foundation in place that can withstand the tremors and aftershocks that come from every which direction. Of course, you never know when you’re going to need that protection, and if you haven’t shored up your foundation before the earthquakes hit, it makes the struggle all the harder.

Not impossible, mind you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: God will use every single thing He allows to touch His children’s lives for our good and His glory. And it’s not a huge stretch to think that He might use an earthquake as the means to shore up our foundation in way that prepares us for a future hurricane.

I’ve seen that happen in my own life; perhaps you have too.

Then there are times when you implement some relatively minor thing in your life, only to look back months or years later and realize that this one little routine had changed everything for you.

I can think of two such things right now—my near-daily habit of praying for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in my heart (which I began when I chose fruit as my One Word for 2015), and my practice of writing down the names of God as I read through the Bible (which I commenced two years later in an effort to stay focused when I got to the Book of Revelation).

I didn’t begin doing these things with any expectation that some day, they would help me out in a crisis. It was mostly because I’m an easily distracted creature of habit who also likes lists.

Today, I’m still doing both. And as I think about the difference it’s made, all I can say is that this is yet another instance of how God goes before us and prepares us for what only He knows is coming next.

It’s hard to quantify this in a tangible way. When it comes to evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in my life, for example, I have my good days and my not-so-good days.

There are times when I don’t look or act especially peaceful. Especially in the heat of the moment, the stress often gets to me. Petty things bother me and I’m pretty sure my lack of patience is evident to everyone around me.

But even on those days that prompt my children to leave a plate of homemade goodies on the kitchen island with a note that says, “We baked some ‘I’m-sorry-you’re-super-busy-running-two-households-and-are-super-stressed cookies,” I know the root system of the divine fruit tree is much denser than it once was.

I’m stretching at the seams, but—so far, anyway—I’m not falling apart.

As for the names of God having an impact, I can’t even tell you how this works.

At some subconscious level, His attributes are there. Bits and pieces of His character come to mind during the day when I’m vacuuming the living room floor. They surround me at night when I can’t sleep. They roll around in my head when I’m driving to my parents’ nursing home, often not knowing what I’m going to find when I arrive.

God is my Rock, my strength, my salvation. My portion, my song, my light. My shelter and my shield, my refuge and my fortress, my help and my deliverer. My King, my Father, my Savior.

Somehow, by recording who God is and has always been, His personal and powerful presence has become more real to me. I don’t know how else to explain it.

The result? Peace, when that’s the last thing I should be experiencing. Strength when I’m too tired to take another step. Courage to push open doors when I’m afraid of what I’m about to see.

Praying for the fruit of the Spirit and writing down God’s attributes are such simple activities. They almost seem rote, and perhaps they are. But if you’re looking for ways to shore up the foundation of your heart for the storms that are sure to come, I’d encourage you to give them a try.

The prayer thing is easy. You can do it as you brush your teeth, or as you’re putting on your shoes or waiting for your coffee to brew. If you do it at the same time every day, it will quickly become a habit.

If writing down the names of God appeals to you, it doesn’t have to be complicated or overly structured. You can use an official Bible reading plan, you can start wherever you are in your current devotional book or Bible study, or you can keep a list on your phone based on daily scriptures from your favorite Bible app.

Whenever God is described in some way, jot it down. Do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next. Let the truth of who God is infiltrate your mind and your heart, name by name.

Take it from me. Over time, it will make a difference.

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Have you ever made a little change in your life that turned out to be a huge difference maker later? If so, please share in the comments …

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, Let’s Have Coffee, Worth Beyond Rubies, Faith on Fire, Faith ‘n Friends and Grace & Truth.