another year over
a new one begun
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life so that we may grow in wisdom.”
New year, clean slate, fresh start, right? Although we don’t really have to wait for a new calendar year to begin in order for us to start over, many of us do. Many of us use January first to set our intentions on new, big goals. We decide that THIS year is going to be the year we do all sorts of big things and turn the titanic around.
Wanting to course correct and better our lives is great!
The problem with going about it in this manner is that this is not really how new habits, or lasting changes are made.
Twelve percent of all gym memberships are sold in January, and nearly 50% of those memberships are ditched by the end of January. Several factors contribute to this failure.
1. The goals are too big and therefore unrealistic.
2. No accountability.
3. There is no established way to track or review progress.
4. Lack of planning. Nothing was scheduled out in a way that is manageable with a schedule.
5. The goals are unclear. The “WHY” was never established.
We all know the statement, the road to hell is paved with good intentions right? This simply means that having good intentions and publicizing those will get us nowhere. We can post our NY’s resolutions in a million public places for all to see, and we can make a million lists to remind ourselves, but the only way we change any pattern, is in those day-to-day decisions we make when no one else is looking.
"Success is the product of daily habits not once-in-a-lifetime transformation." ~James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits
Changing old behaviors is more about taking those intentions and putting action behind them, having a form of accountability and a system for tracking progress, with or without the whole world knowing, with or without praise or accolades. These are the changes that truly develop our character, and at the end of the day, at the end of our lives, isn’t it our character that we truly want those who knew us to remember?
photo by Tim Mossholder @timmossholder
As you make your New Year resolutions this year, if that is something you do, or if you are like me and make more 30-60-90 days goals, I encourage you to think more long term, (as in lifelong), and to have a more holistic approach to your goals. From statistics that I have read, the most common annual goals are: to commit to our overall health & fitness, to acquire more skills for success, to develop a higher level of self-esteem, and to challenge ourselves overall.
These are all wonderful goals and there is nothing wrong with any of them, but I challenge you to dig even deeper this year.
"Habits matter because they help you become the person you wish to be."
"Quite literally, you become your habits."
"Building habits in the present allows you to do more of what you want in the future."
~James Clear, Author of, Atomic Habits
Have you ever gone through the exercise of writing your own eulogy? Stay with me. I know this sounds morbid, but it was an incredibly enlightening exercise for me, and my hope is that it will be for you as well. I have had to do this a few different times in some different studies I have taken, and it is quite a jolt to the system. It’s a definite wake-up call of awareness to how and where you spend your time and energy.
Sometimes you have to shove all the surface stuff to the side in order to see what's underneath. ~ Beth Moore
Part of the assignment was to consider what my relatives, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and loved ones would say about me and how I lived when no one was looking? What were some favorite stories they’d tell? Did they have any cherished memories with me they’d share? What about my day-to-day personality? Did my daily walk reflect my heart and my heart’s desires?
photo by Nick Fewings @jannerboy62
For me, this was wake up call. This exercise revealed to me that the things I was focusing on and the habits I was building towards my personal goals, were not the habits and goals that were going to get me closer to the person I want to be known for. I want to be known as a woman who loves God, a woman of great faith and strength, and a woman with courage to share her faith publicly without shame or fear.
I want to be known for being the light of Christ in this dark world and for being an example of His love, grace, and mercy, but the habits I was focusing on were more for worldly recognition. I was not putting my time or energy into the habits that would deepen my wisdom or knowledge of Christ. My habits and goals were not supportive of living a life that would reflect what I wanted to be remembered for. This exercise helped me to understand that while my short-term, earthly goals are good and important, it’s my long term, more eternal goals that needed some work.
We each have 8,760 hours, or 525,600 minutes in a full calendar year, and how we spend that precious time matters. It especially matters to God. What habits are we building that are kingdom building? What goals are we setting for ourselves that are going to build healthy, faith filled habits where people will know that we are different than the rest of the world?
photo by Ben White @benwhitephotography
There are many things that seem important to us, and to the world we live in, but remember, there are many false values and goals of this world that will give you public accolades, but they mean nothing to our creator and heavenly Father. Once we come to Christ, we no longer live for ourselves, our goal is higher: to live for Jesus.
What will people say about you when you leave this earthly home? None of us know the years between our first breath and our last, but what we do and how we live in the in between, determines the lives we touch and the lives we impact. What will you do, how will you live in the dash between birth and death? The answer to this question is determined by the habits your building and goals you set today and tomorrow.
photo by Brian Matangelo @bmatangelo
The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears but said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash. What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.
To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?
~ Linda Ellis
Something to consider: Would you like to make changes in order to make the most of your dash? Maybe you want to have better heavenly habits, but don’t know where to start? Do you need some help on where to begin?
The following are seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians from Pastor, Author, & teacher, Mike Mazzalongo .
Habit #1
Effective Christians Read and Obey God's Word
Effective Christians are effective because their lives are powered by the Word of God. They know what God says and that knowledge empowers them to make right choices in more consistent ways. They resist temptation because they have God's Word on their hearts and on their minds. They are more able to stand up for right, give right advice, say the right thing at the right time because they know what right is, they can even quote it.
Habit #2
Effective Christians Have an Active Prayer Life
We cannot effectively experience the life of Christ unless we read about it in God's Word. God cannot effectively change, shape and mold our lives unless we share it with Him in prayer. The habit of prayer is what keeps us tuned in to God and sensitive to the Spirit. Without the habit of prayer the noisy demands of the world and the impulses of our flesh are all we can ever hear.
Habit #3
Effective Christians Set "Spiritual" Goals
There is a saying in business, "If you don't plan for success, you are planning to fail." Whether it is a business or a school, a family or a sports team, everyone needs to plan ahead. What makes us think it is any different for our spiritual lives? Effective Christianity requires that we set personal spiritual goals and actively work towards them, making the necessary sacrifices to eventually reach them.
Habit #4
Effective Christians Cultivate Talents of Others
Effective Christians realize early on that in order to stay effective they need to build up others in the body.
Solomon says:
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
- Proverbs 27:17
Habit #5
Effective Christians Take Responsibility for Souls
Effective Christians make a difference in their congregations and in the world because they understand that the stakes are very high (eternal life) and the enemy is very dangerous (Satan).
Harry Truman, the former President of the United States, was very popular as a tough minded, no-nonsense leader. He had a sign on his desk that said, "The Buck Stops Here." This meant that he was the President, he was responsible, and he knew it.
We are each responsible for our souls (not the preacher, not the elders), in the end we will be judged on what we said and did (II Corinthians 5:10). Effective Christians know this and do not waste their time or spiritual energy on things that would endanger this most precious possession. They have the habit of putting what is good for souls first.
Habit #6
Effective Christians Serve Others
Effective Christians have cultivated the character of Christ within themselves by cultivating His character of selfless service to others for their good, their advantage and their salvation. For effective Christians, service is not an inconvenience they must bear in order to avoid guilt. No, like Epaphroditus, service is a way of life born out of love for Jesus.
Habit #7
Effective Christians Remain Focused on the Kingdom
More Christians lose their way because they just do not pay attention!
Effective Christians have learned to keep the kingdom first and have not allowed the "cares" and the "desire for riches" overwhelm their spiritual lives. When they do, they are quick to repent and refocus their attention to where it needs to be. As a matter of fact, effective Christians continue to increase their involvement, their love, their very lives in the affairs of the kingdom and decrease their involvement, their love and their lives in the world. Effective Christians know that the kingdom is forever, is reality, is life itself, and the world is temporary, is sinful and full of death. They know this and live accordingly.
Summary
Well, there you have them, 7 habits of highly effective Christians. There are Christians who have managed to cultivate a lifestyle that incorporates these habits. In other words, practicing these habits has created a certain Christian character and ability that makes these women and men highly effective as disciples of Christ. If you are a new Christian wondering "where do I go from here," or if you are an experienced Christian wanting to go to a higher level, then pursuing these 7 habits will provide direction to more effective Christian living and service.
All content from Habit #1 -summary is from, 7-habits-of-highly-effective-christians .
