The Power of Habits

When I was a kid on our family ranch, we had well-worn paths between the barn, the fields, and the house. The cattle always walked the same trails, and over time those trails grew so defined that you could follow them in the dark without thinking.

That’s exactly what habits do in our lives. They carve pathways sometimes good, sometimes destructive, that we end up walking without even realizing it.

The Apostle Paul understood this well. Writing to the Corinthians, he compared the Christian life to training for a race:

“Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize… I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”

(1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NLT)

Paul’s message was clear: the Christian life requires discipline, intentionality, and training.

   •   He ran straight.

   •   He ran with purpose.

   •   He disciplined himself.

   •   He trained his body.

And all of that comes down to habits.

The writer of Hebrews gave a sobering warning to believers who had been in the faith a long time:

“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basics… Solid food belongs to the mature, who by constant use (habit) have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

(Hebrews 5:12–14)

Did you catch that? Maturity isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about habits. Our senses, our discernment, and even our desires are trained by what we repeatedly do.

That’s why Paul could confess in Romans 7:15:

“I do not understand what I do. For I don’t do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate.”

Sound familiar? “Why did I eat the whole pizza again?” Or, “Why did I say those words I promised I wouldn’t say?” That’s the pull of ingrained habits.

Here’s the good news: habits themselves are neutral. Like money, they’re not inherently good or bad, it all depends on how you use them.

Examples of Good Habits:

   •   Acts 17:2 “According to his usual habit Paul went to the synagogue.” Paul’s ministry was fueled by a habit of showing up.

   •   Hebrews 10:25  “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together.” Worshiping with others is a holy habit.

Examples of Bad Habits:

   •   1 Corinthians 15:33  “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (NKJV)

   •   James 1:21  “Get rid of every filthy habit.”

   •   2 Peter 2:19  “They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits.”

That’s the danger: bad habits always promise freedom but deliver slavery. Just ask the person chained by debt, alcohol, or pornography.

This is why so many New Year’s resolutions collapse within weeks. A resolution without a habit is just wishful thinking.

If you want real change, you don’t need vague resolutions you need next-level habits. These aren’t just habits that help you survive today. They’re habits that prepare you for who God is calling you to be tomorrow.

Habits are like gravity at first they feel impossible to resist. But once you create new patterns, those habits start carrying you forward almost effortlessly.

Years ago, our son Daniel had a habit of blowing money on video games. Instead of just scolding him, I decided to help him build a new habit.

We created a matching savings plan for his first car. For every dollar he saved, I matched it.

   •   His first car ended up being a Dodge Colt.

   •   Later, a Honda Del Sol.

That new saving habit replaced the wasteful habit and carried him into responsibility, ownership, and maturity.

Key thought: Don’t just fight old habits. Build new ones strong enough to replace them.

How to Build Next-Level Habits

                  1.             Pick Your Destination.

What kind of spouse, parent, leader, or Christian do you want to become?

                  2.             List the Habits.

What disciplines would that kind of person live by? Daily prayer? Scripture reading? Tithing? Serving? Health routines?

                  3.             Start Now.

Don’t wait until you “arrive.” Begin today practicing the habits that future you will need.

And here’s the key: starve the old habits, feed the new ones.

Success without habits is temporary. Success with habits is lasting. That’s why so many people fall apart after reaching their goals they don’t have the disciplines to sustain them.

Hebrews 5:14 says it plainly: “Solid food belongs to the mature, who by habit have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Maturity doesn’t come by accident. Not by emotion. Not by one good conference or sermon. It comes on account of habit.

                  1.             Habits are powerful, but neutral. You choose whether they’re holy or destructive.

                  2.             Good habits anchor your faith—Scripture, prayer, worship, generosity.

                  3.             Bad habits enslave sinful patterns promise freedom but deliver bondage.

                  4.             Next-level habits prepare you for your calling.

                  5.             New habits replace old ones don’t just resist, rebuild.

                  6.             Habits sustain success keeping you steady long after the excitement fades.

Paul said he ran with purpose and discipline. Hebrews reminds us that maturity is shaped by habit. Peter warned us not to be slaves of destructive patterns.

So the real question isn’t: Do I have habits?

The question is: Which habits have me?

Because you make your habits—and then your habits make you.

So don’t just dream. Don’t just resolve. Don’t just hope.

Start building the habits today that will carry you into the future God has prepared for you.