If you had to point to one spiritual habit that made the biggest difference in your faith, what would it be? Was it reading Scripture every day? A consistent prayer life? Worship? Journaling? Serving others? Sabbath rest? Something unexpected? What’s one habit that transformed your walk with Christ, and how did you make it stick?
Hello @shalom. I would have to say that, for me, it is a process. I started by reading. Praying, but it really was not until I stepped out and began to serve in the church and serve others that my life really changed.
You see, and I do not mean to offend anyone, but it is easy to say a 5-minute prayer, read a couple of words, and turn the TV on. Suffering on the internet, or just doing whatever you want. It is a whole different dynamic when there is someone right in front of you. Someone that you are trying to help. Sometimes, helping others will help you. Being a blessing to someone else blesses you in ways you do not know or may never understand.
When I started serving others, I had a greater desire to read and pray. I had more of a desire to worship. I’m still working on the Sabbath thing, even though I know it is there for our benefit. I truly believe that we all need to have a relationship with God and read His word, of course; however, I found that a great catalyst for that is through service.
Peter
I like Peter’s point that different habits can build on one another. For me, I’ve come to see that it’s often consistency, rather than any one specific habit, that makes the biggest difference. Even small amounts of time spent reading Scripture or praying each day can gradually shape the way we think and respond to life’s challenges.
I also like that our spiritual habits don’t have to look exactly the same. God can use different practices at different seasons of our lives, but the important thing is to keep drawing closer to Him.
One thing that has been really spiritually formative for me has been to commit to attending church every week, as long as I am not out of town or sick (or dealing with sick kiddos). I’ve always attended church at least somewhat regularly, but it has actually grown my love for the Body of Christ and made me look forward to church more now that I’ve carved out Sunday morning for this purpose and don’t allow the feeling of not wanting to go to church or having a long weekend to-do list to deter me. I’ve found worshipping on Sunday morning helps me set the tone for the rest of the week.