Develop the Habits That Produce Godliness - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - January 2, 2018
Develop the Habits That Produce Godliness
By Rick Warren
“It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king’s anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back” (Hebrews 11:27 GNT).
Sometimes I don’t feel like being nice to everyone. I don’t feel like doing the unselfish thing. I want to just lie on the couch and watch TV. I don’t want to do one more thing today. I don’t want to handle another problem. But just because I don’t feel like it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it.
This will really shock you: Sometimes I don’t feel like praying or reading my Bible. But I do it. I’ve found that if the only time I pray is when I feel like it, the Devil makes sure I never feel like it. If the only time I read my Bible is when I feel like it, the Devil makes sure I never feel like it. Maturity is when you live your life by your commitments, not by your feelings.
The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people don’t feel like doing. They develop habits. They stay committed. You don’t get to the Olympics because you feel like it. You get to the Olympics by hours and hours of training that you didn’t feel like doing. You don’t become a master musician without hours and hours of rehearsal that you probably didn’t feel like doing all the time.
In the same way, you don’t become a godly man or woman by simply doing what you feel like doing. Godly men and women choose to develop the habits that produce godliness in their lives. It’s not any easier than working out or dieting or rehearsing or anything else that may be good for you but you don’t feel like doing.
How do you develop this kind of persistence?
The key is to look not at your problem but at the Lord. Probably the greatest example in the Bible of persistence is Moses. For 40 years, he led a group of crying, squabbling, complaining babies around the desert while they questioned his leadership the entire time. Yet he never gave up.
Hebrews 11:27 says, “It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king’s anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back” (GNT). Moses “saw the invisible God.” He kept his eyes on God.
Keep your eyes on God. If you focus on your problem, you’re going to be distressed and depressed. If you focus on God, you’re going to be at rest.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
What is something that you gave up on because it was too hard or required too much time and work?
Why is it often sometimes difficult to do the easy thing instead of the right thing?
What are some practical ways that you can keep focused on God?
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Find courage to transform yourself and impact the world around you!
“Because of our faith in him we dare to have boldness, courage, and confidence in coming to God with freedom and without fear.” (Ephesians 3:12 AP)
Everything God does in your life, He does by His grace and through your faith. So if you want God to work through you to influence those around you, start by developing a deeper trust in Him!
Pastor Rick Warren shows you how in his Daring Faith Study Kit. As you explore the 6 faith-building sessions in this DVD Bible study, you’ll learn how to:
• Find the courage to leave your comfort zone
• Make a lasting difference in the lives of others
• Use generosity to change your life
• And more!
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This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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