#dailyhabitroots by: Deborah Ard

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”             Colosssians 2:6-7 NLT

I want to be healthier. To become healthier I need to eat healthy foods and exercise. I can’t just eat healthy and exercise for only one day. I need to do it consistently. To become consistent at eating healthy and exercising I need to consciously and intentionally develop habits that support the goal of being healthier.  Likewise, I want to plant seeds for Christ so I need to consciously and intentionally develop daily habits to support that goal.

As a Christian I understand the call to sow seeds for Christ. In order to reflect Christ I must grow closer to Him and know Him better. Therefore I must develop habits to support growing closer to Him and knowing Him better. All of us are different so the habits I have developed may not be best for you. Nevertheless, perhaps my habits can spark an idea for how you can create your own daily habits to grow closer to Christ.

My family schedule in the afternoons and evenings is crazy busy. Therefore I have chosen to develop the habit of getting up early in the morning to have quiet devotion time alone with God. I get up 2 hours before my family. When I wake up I take a shower, walk and feed the dog, make a cup of coffee and then sit down in my big comfy chair to share some time with God. To savor the sereneness of the morning I do not turn on the lights. Instead I light a candle as a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s presence. Then I read several devotionals, make notes in my journal, and pray. This has become my favorite time of the day. 

Our daily habits are like the roots of a plant. The roots are a very important part of a plant. Roots provide nutrients and support. In an article for kids I read that the roots “suck the water and nutrients up out of the soil.” I like this analogy. Now I can think of my morning habit of spending time with God as time for me to “suck up the nutrients” that will help me grow. Also like roots, my daily devotion time will help support me as I meet the storms of life. 

What about you? Do you have daily habits that support your growth as a Christian? Your daily habits will not necessarily be the same as mine. If you are not in the habit of spending time with God daily, I encourage you to start. Prayerfully look at your schedule and choose what time of day is best for you. Some of you may have time during a lunch break, while waiting in the car line to pick up children, or in the evening. You choose what works best for you. I am certain that if you ask God to reveal to you a time that will work, He will open your eyes to the possibilities. And if you are faithful to that habit and develop a routine, God will certainly bless you with the most beautiful fruit. And guess what! Inside fruit are seeds. And you will spread those seeds of Christ wherever you go! Happy planting friend!

photo is from Steven Furtick’s walking faith devotionals