Four Habits to Strengthen Your Faith

Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit.” 1 Timothy 4:7 (TLB)

If I want God to use me, then practice the habits that strengthen my faith.

The Bible says in the Living Bible paraphrase, “Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit” (1 Timothy 4:7).

I wonder how many people wake up thinking, “I get to exercise today!” I certainly don’t. But I do know that we all need both physical and spiritual exercise. I also know this about exercise: I want the most benefit I can get out of every minute I exercise, whether it’s physical or spiritual.

To get the most out of my spiritual exercise, I need to learn to practice these four spiritual habits that will strengthen my faith.

Study the Bible. I need to study the Bible for myself. I can’t depend on someone else’s study of God’s Word. I need to spend time in it on my own. 

The Bible says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT).

God’s Word is the “get ready” manual for life. If I want to get ready for God to use me, I’ve got to study the Bible.

Read books that help me grow spiritually. Proverbs 19:8 says, “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can” (GNT). That means learning from God’s Word and from people who have faithfully followed him—books that inspire, challenge, and strengthen my faith.

Write out my testimony. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have” (NCV). Just like nobody else can study the Bible for me, nobody else can tell my story. There are four parts to a testimony: what my life was like before I came to Christ, how I realized I needed Christ in my life, how I committed my life to Christ, and what my life is like now.

Join a small group. “Encourage each other and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT). When it comes to strengthening my faith, few things compare to regular contact with a small group of believers I know and trust. If I'm not in a small group, find people I can share life with and who will support me as I grow in faith.

These four habits will help me stay spiritually fit so that I'm ready for God to use.

In Summary:

Spiritual maturity doesn't happen by accident; it requires the same intentional effort and consistency as physical training. Grounded in 1 Timothy 4:7, this text highlights that being ready for God to use me requires actively training my faith through four essential disciplines: personal Bible study, reading growth-focused Christian books, writing out your personal story of transformation, and engaging in a supportive small group. By anchoring life in these deliberate habits, I shift from passive belief to an active, resilient faith equipped for every good work.

Bottom Line:

Consistent spiritual disciplines are the foundation of a resilient faith, equipping me to step boldly into God's purpose for my life.

Next Step:

Commit to building immediate momentum by choosing one of the four habits to implement this week—for example, schedule 15 minutes each morning for personal Scripture reading or outline the four stages of your personal testimony—aligning my daily routine with my identity as a purpose-driven leader.

 

From Anxious Loops to Anchored Truths

When I choose to dwell on a worry, it will always get bigger in my mind. So if I want to change the way I think and renew my mind, then I’ve got to stop dwelling on my worries and meditate on God’s Word instead.

How to meditate? Well, if I know how to worry, then I already know how to meditate. Worry is when I take a negative thought and think about it over and over and over. On the other hand, when I take a passage of Scripture and think about it over and over and over, that’s meditation.

If I only contact with the Bible is when I hear it at church, I’ll have a weak grip on God’s Word, and it can easily be pulled out of my mind.

But if I hear God’s Word and also read it every day, then I’ll start to get a better grip. Then, if I hear it and read it and study it, I’ll get an even better grip. And then, if I hear it and read it and study it and start memorizing and meditating on it, I’ll have a solid grip on the Word of God.

I’ll struggle to hold tightly to God’s Word if I'm not doing all the important steps of Bible study.

Psalm 119:16 says, “Your laws make me happy. I will never forget your word” (GW). If I want to be happy, then following God’s principles will produce happiness. I remember those principles by hearing them, reading them, studying them, memorizing them, meditating on them, and then applying them to my life.

The Bible says in Psalm 119:35, “Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found” (NLT).

If I’ve been looking for happiness in all the wrong places, then turn around. God says happiness is found in the path of his commands.

In Summary:

This text reframes the concept of meditation by comparing it directly to worry, illustrating that both are simply the act of thinking about something over and over—one pulling me down, the other grounding me. True cognitive renewal and lasting happiness come from intentionally shifting my focus away from anxious loops and onto the principles found in Scripture. Building a resilient mind requires more than casual exposure; it demands a progressive, hands-on commitment to hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God's Word. Ultimately, happiness is presented not as a random feeling to chase, but as the natural byproduct of disciplined alignment with God's design.

Bottom Line:

Happiness is found by redirecting the mental energy used for worry into a disciplined, multi-layered engagement with God's Word.

Next Step:

Identify the specific worry that has been dominating my thoughts this week and select one specific verse or principle from Psalm 119 that directly counters it. Write that verse down on a card or my phone, and every single time that specific worry loops into your mind, interrupt it by reading and processing that verse instead—shifting my habit loop from passive worrying to active meditation.

The Number One Way God Speaks to You

“Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (CEV)

The number one way God speaks is through his Word.

A lot of people wish God would just write in the sky what he wants them to do. But God isn’t going to write in the sky what he’s already written in his Book!

Everything I need to know God and live a life of purpose and meaning is found in his Word. If I'm not opening the Bible and reading the Bible, then God isn’t talking to me very much—and I miss out.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live” (CEV).

God gave us the Bible for four reasons: to teach us, to help us, to correct us, and to show us how to live. Notice it says “everything” and “all of it.” Everything in the Bible is God’s Word, and all of it is useful. That means it’s 100 percent reliable and 100 percent practical. I can use it for every part of my life, for the rest of my life.

Some parts of the Bible are hard to understand. Some parts I’ll have to study more than others. But it’s all there for a reason: to help me.

This is why a consistent quiet time—where I spend time with God and study the Bible every day—is so important. I can simply sit down every day for 10 minutes and give God my attention and focus. I read the Bible and listen to him speak. I talk to him in prayer. I get to know him and let him teach me, help me, correct me, and show me how to live through his Word.

Why is it so important? Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path” (GNT).

The Bible is like a flashlight for life. It’s not a high intensity beam that’s going to show me the next three years of my life. Instead, it’s going to give me enough light for my next step, and then I trust God for the rest.

That’s called walking by faith. And I learn to do it by studying God’s Word, doing what it says, and taking it one day at a time. 

In Summary:

God primarily speaks through His Word, which contains everything needed to know Him and live with purpose. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, helping, correcting, and guiding me in how to live. The Bible is 100% reliable and practical for every part of life, even when parts are challenging to understand. Spending daily time with God through Scripture and prayer allows Him to speak, shape, and strengthen me. His Word serves as a lamp that lights the next step, not the entire path—teaching me to walk by faith, one step at a time, trusting His guidance each day.

Bottom Line:

If I want to hear from God and walk in His purpose, stay in His Word daily. Scripture is His voice, my guide, and the steady light for each next step—teaching me to trust Him one day at a time.

Mastering My Mind, Transforming My Life

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Proverbs 4:23 (GNT)

God is far more interested in changing my mind than changing my circumstances.

I want God to take away all my problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and sadness. But God wants to work on me first, because transformation won’t happen in my life until I renew my mind—until my thoughts begin to change.

Why is it so important for me to learn to manage my mind? The Bible gives three reasons.

1. Manage your mind because your thoughts control your life.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (GNT). My thoughts have a tremendous ability to shape my life in positive or negative ways. For example, maybe I've accepted a thought someone told me when I was growing up: “You’re worthless. You don’t matter.” If I believed that, even though it was wrong, it has shaped my life. I must choose which thoughts I allow to affect me.

2, Manage my mind because the mind is the battleground for sin.

All temptation happens in the mind. Paul says in Romans 7:22-23, “I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin” (TLB).

One reason I get mentally fatigued is because there’s a battle in my mind 24 hours a day. It’s debilitating because it’s intense, and it’s intense because my mind is my greatest asset. Satan wants my greatest asset!

3. Manage your mind because it’s the key to peace and happiness.

An unmanaged mind leads to tension; a managed mind leads to tranquility. An unmanaged mind leads to conflict; a managed mind leads to confidence. When I don’t try to control my mind and direct my thoughts, I will experience an enormous amount of stress in my life. But a managed mind leads to strength, security, and serenity.

“Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NLT).

When my circumstances are out of my control, take the time to manage my mind. Ask God for his help, and I'll find that I can find peace and happiness despite tough times.

In summary:

Proverbs 4:23 teaches that my life is shaped by my thoughts, and God is more focused on transforming my mind than changing my circumstances. Real change begins with renewing how I think, because my thoughts influence my actions, emotions, and ultimately, the direction of my life. The Bible gives three key reasons to manage our minds: our thoughts control our lives, our minds are the battleground for sin, and a managed mind leads to peace and happiness. An unmanaged mind brings stress, tension, and spiritual defeat, while allowing the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts brings strength, serenity, and victory—even in difficult circumstances.

Clearing the Clutter for a Transformed Life

“We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.” Hebrews 12:1 (GW)

Just like spring cleaning in our homes, it’s important for me to do a spring cleaning in my mind—but this one lasts all throughout the year. For transformation to happen in life, there are going to be some bad habits I'll need to clear out regularly because they’re slowing me down.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up” (GW).

It’s easier to pick up bad habits than it is to get rid of them. There are four reasons why it’s so hard to clean them ou:

Because I’ve had them a long time. I didn’t collect my habits, hurts, and hang-ups overnight. Many of these patterns were established in childhood—patterns that started as survival skills. They might not be helping me now, but they’re familiar, so I hang on to them.

Because I identify with them. I can often confuse my identity with my defects—I'm aggressive or a workaholic or an overeater. And when I see myself in a certain way, I set up a self-fulfilling prophecy, and I have an unconscious fear of change. I can wonder, “If I change, then who will I be?”

Because they have a payoff. Whatever gets rewarded gets repeated. Sometimes I reward negative behavior because it masks my pain or gives me an excuse to fail or it gets me some attention.

Because Satan fights it. Satan doesn’t want me to be transformed and set free. So the moment I get serious about changing, he starts whispering, “Who do you think you are? You can’t change. You’ve tried to change in the past; it won’t work. You may as well give up!”

Cleaning house in my mind is never easy. It takes time, so I will have to be patient. I will have to remind myself of my new identity in Christ. I’ve got to remind myself of a better and bigger payoff—the joy that comes from having a forever relationship with Jesus Christ. And I’ll have to rely on the Holy Spirit, whose power in me is greater than Satan’s attacks.

Choosing this kind of mindset every day will lead to healthy living and a lighter load as I run the race God has for me. 

In summary: 

Just like spring cleaning, I need to regularly clear out the mental and spiritual clutter—especially sins and bad habits—that slow me down and distract me from the life God intends for me. Hebrews 12:1 reminds me to run my race with endurance, letting go of anything that holds me back. Breaking free from long-standing habits is difficult because they feel familiar, are tied to my identity, offer temporary rewards, and are opposed by spiritual forces. But by trusting in the Holy Spirit, remembering my identity in Christ, and focusing on the lasting joy of a relationship with Jesus, I can gradually experience true transformation and live with purpose and freedom.

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Deciding To Manage My Mind

“I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what.” Psalm 119:112 (CEV)

People who learn how to fight the battle in their minds live more effective lives.

If I want to learn to manage my mind, you have to be delivered from destructive thoughts. That isn’t easy because I'm n a battle with three enemies trying to control my thoughts. 

The first enemy is your old nature. Paul says in Romans 7:23, “There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (NLT).

Do you ever find yourself doing things you don’t really want to do? That’s the battle in your mind between your old, sinful nature and your good intentions.

The second enemy is Satan. Satan cannot force you to do anything, but he can make suggestions. Those suggestions are incredibly powerful. He is constantly planting negative thoughts in your mind. He’ll use other people or what you watch on TV, or he’ll just throw a thought in your mind.

The third enemy is the world’s value system. Modern society rarely encourages self-discipline. Advertisements tell you things like, “You deserve a break today,” “Have it your way,” and “We do it all for you.” The Bible says in 1 John 2:16, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (NIV).

With enemies like that, no wonder people struggle with discouragement, despair, and failure!

So how do you fight this battle? Look at what 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says: “Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).

You have a choice. God didn’t give you just a mind. He gave you a will too! Your mind has to listen to you. The Bible says, “I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what” (Psalm 119:112 CEV).

In summary:

Managing your mind is essential to living a more effective and spiritually grounded life. The Bible highlights that we face a mental battle against three powerful enemies: our old sinful nature, Satan’s deceptive suggestions, and the world’s distracting value system. These forces can lead to inner conflict, negative thinking, and temptation. Paul describes this struggle in Romans, acknowledging how we often act against our better judgment due to the pull of sin. Satan plants destructive thoughts subtly through media, people, or spontaneous ideas. Meanwhile, the world promotes self-indulgence over discipline, making it even harder to stay spiritually focused.

However, God equips us with spiritual weapons to win this mental battle. As 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 explains, we are empowered to tear down strongholds and take control of our thoughts through divine strength. We’re not helpless—God gives us the ability to choose what we dwell on. With His help, we can intentionally direct our thoughts toward truth and obedience. Psalm 119:112 reminds us that committing to God’s ways, regardless of circumstances, is a powerful decision. It takes discipline and intentionality, but by choosing to obey God and taking every thought captive, we can overcome destructive thinking and live with clarity, peace, and purpose.

Three Lessons to Help Keep Me in the Race

“An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win.” 1 Corinthians 9:25-26 (TLB)

I need to consider that I'm in a race.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, “In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win” (TLB).

While I'm running my race, I don’t want to get sidelined or run off into a ditch. I want to make it to the finish line and win the prize.

Just like the soldier, the athlete has three things to teach me about being and doing my best.

1. I must intend to win.
This is the difference in being a casual Christian and a committed Christian. Is there a difference between a competitive golfer and a casual golfer? The committed golfer is playing to win. The casual golfer is just having fun during his time off. The difference is the degree of seriousness.

If I'm going to win in life, it’s not going to happen by accident or without effort. How serious am I about being who God made me to be?

2. I must discipline myself.
No athlete becomes a professional athlete without training. There are no shortcuts to maturity. There are no shortcuts to greatness.

What are some things I can do without so that I can spend more time with God, give more, serve more, and be more of what God wants me to be?

3. I must stay focused on the reward.
I can handle enormous pain and discipline in my life if I realize there’s a purpose for it and a payoff at the end.

The Message is paraphrase says in Hebrews 12:2, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.”

This encourages me to stay focused on the prize: an eternity with Jesus Christ!

In summary:

My life is like running a race, emphasizing the need for purpose, discipline, and focus. Just as athletes train and sacrifice to win a temporary prize, Christ followers are called to live with intentionality for an eternal reward. Paul urges me to "run straight to the goal with purpose in every step" (1 Corinthians 9:26), highlighting that spiritual success doesn’t come by accident—it requires effort and commitment. Like a serious athlete, I must be intentional about my spiritual growth and avoid distractions that could sideline me from God’s calling and purpose for my life.

Three lessons stand out from the athlete’s example: First, I must intend to win—approaching my faith with seriousness and dedication, not casually. Second, I must discipline myself, understanding that spiritual maturity comes through consistent effort and sacrifice. And third, I must stay focused on the reward—an eternal life with Christ. Hebrews 12:2 reminds me to keep my eyes on Jesus, who endured everything for the joy set before Him. When I remember what’s at stake and Who I'm running toward, I will find strength to keep going, even through hardships.

How to Start the Climb out of Debt

In Proverbs 3:27 it says, “Don’t withhold repayment of your debts.” (TLB)

God makes it abundantly clear in the Bible how he feels about debt. Proverbs says, “Don’t withhold repayment of your debts” (Proverbs 3:27 TLB). And in Romans you can read, “Let no debt remain outstanding” (Romans 13:8 NIV).

You probably already know this intuitively, but God makes it clear in the Bible: Debt is not a good thing.

Yet many people find themselves drowning in debt. Moving forward, they would be willing to pay as they go if they could just finish paying for where they’ve been.

That’s what God wants for us as well. He wants us to repay what we owe so he can bless us in our finances. But working our way out of debt isn’t easy. First we have to commit to do it, and then we need to make a plan for it. Let’s look at those two steps.

Commit to getting out of debt. You’ve probably noticed that it’s easy to coast into debt. You don’t even have to think about it. But you cannot coast out of debt. You’ve got to make a U-turn and start a long climb back up the hill. That requires a tough decision and a commitment to the time and discipline it will take to get out of debt.

It’s easy to feel alone on this uphill climb. But God knows right where you are! He understood this was going to happen a long time ago. And in the midst of your problems, he wants to help you, to strengthen you, and to grow you. He is with you in this challenge. You are not alone.

Make a plan to get out of debt. Getting out of debt is a day-by-day, step-by-step task. And it involves a word that most people don’t like: discipline. It means not buying that, resolving to do this, deciding not to do that.

The Bible says in Proverbs 21:5, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (NLT).

If you’re in debt, don’t ignore this warning from the Bible: Watch out for hasty shortcuts. If you’re in debt, you’re in pain—and you want to get out of pain as quickly as possible. And it’s tempting to take shortcuts.

But instead of chasing hurried shortcuts, look for God’s plan. Then commit to the plan, determined to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals.

Imagine where you could be in a year if you took diligent steps to be free of debt. Then resolve to take those steps every day, relying on God’s wisdom and grace to do the hard thing. 

God’s Correction Is for My Good

In Job 5:17 I read, “Happy is the person whom God corrects! Do not resent it when he rebukes you." (GNT)

If I’m running from what God has called me to do, there is something I should know: God is calling me back to him.

He knows that the longer I run, the worse life will get. And he wants to get my attention before it’s too late.

Even though God is patient, he won’t let me ignore his call forever. God loves me just the way I am, but he loves me far too much to let me stay that way.

One day he’s going to get my attention.

The prophet Jonah found this out the hard way as he was running from God: “The storm was getting worse all the time” (Jonah 1:11 GNT). The more Jonah ran, the worse the storm got. Jonah’s running had consequences.

It’s the same way for me. When I run from God, eventually I’ll find myself surrounded by storms.

Sometimes those are the storms of God’s correction. But when God corrects me, it’s not negative. It’s because he loves me!

Loving parents discipline their children because they love them and want to see them change their behavior for their own good. God is the same way. The Bible says: “Happy is the person whom God corrects! Do not resent it when he rebukes you” (Job 5:17 GNT).

As the storm got more intense, Jonah’s shipmates asked a question many people ask when troubles build: “What should we do . . . to stop the storm?” (Jonah 1:11 GNT)

The answer is always the same. I must completely surrender my life to God. When I surrender, peace comes.

Jonah did this. He responded, “Throw me into the sea, and it will calm down. I know it is my fault that you are caught in this violent storm” (Jonah 1:12 GNT).

It was Jonah’s first unselfish act, and his first step toward a fresh start. He admitted he was the cause of the storm, and he surrendered to God’s will.

If I’ve been running from God’s plan for my life and now I’m facing a storm, surrender to God. I can do this with confidence because God is for me, and he’s calling me back to him.

In summary, “happy” is the person whom God corrects! So do not resent it when he rebukes me. If I’m running from what God has called me to do, God is calling me back to him. The longer I run, the worse life will get. And he wants to get my attention before it’s too late. Even though God is patient, he won’t let me ignore his call forever. God loves me just the way I am, but he loves me far too much to let me stay that way. One day he’s going to get my attention. When I run from God, eventually I’ll find myself surrounded by storms. Sometimes those are the storms of God’s correction. But when God corrects me, it’s not negative. It’s because he loves me! Loving parents discipline their children because they love them and want to see them change their behavior for their own good. God is the same way. I must completely surrender my life to God. When I surrender, peace comes. If I’ve been running from God’s plan for my life and now I’m facing a storm, surrender to God. I can do this with confidence because God is for me, and he’s calling me back to him.

It is a blessing to be disciplined by God when I do wrong. These words show a discipline that has been almost forgotten. Pain can help me grow. These are good words to remember when I face hardship or loss. In Job's case, because he did not understand why he suffered, his faith in God had a chance to grow. God does not eliminate all hardship when I follow him closely, and good behavior is not always rewarded by prosperity. Rewards for good and punishment for evil are in God's hands and given out according to his timetable. Satan's plot is to get me to doubt God's love and faithfulness toward me. 

Making Every Step Count

In review of 1 Corinthians 9:25-26 this morning, I read “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (NLT).

Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Walking with and obeying Christ takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. Don't just observe from the grandstand; don't just turn out to jog a couple of laps. Rather learn to train diligently, as my spiritual progress will depend on it. Self-discipline requires me to take an honest look at my strengths and weaknesses with an emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside me screams yes. When I have self-discipline I can say no to friends or situations that would lead me away from Christ, or say no to laziness in favor of "can do" and "will do." Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling my natural appetites towards God's purposes. 

Spiritual growth must be purposeful. I do not know how many days I have left. My next breath may be my last. So every step in my journey with Jesus should be taken on purpose.

I must be disciplined. To become the person God wants me to be, I must deny myself. When I do so, I won’t get to do everything that others do. I can’t follow everyone else’s plan and follow God’s plan at the same time. Being a disciplined disciple of Jesus means sometimes taking the more difficult path.

Olympic runners must give up all kinds of stuff that other people do in order to go for the gold. They must go to bed at a certain time. They must eat a certain way. They must train in a certain setting. They must deny themselves. They must count the cost.

Every step, Paul says, must be purposeful. That’s how I’ll finish the race God has marked out for me. Don’t be tempted by shortcuts. Rather stay on the straight and narrow path, and keep pressing forward toward the goal. Remember the purpose God has called me to. Remember the example of Jesus, who used his time on earth for God’s glory and was not distracted by the things of this world. So make every step count.

In summary, like an athlete who is discipline in their training, I too must run with purpose in every step. Walking with and obeying Christ takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. Don't just observe, or make half hearted attempt, rather learn to train diligently. It's a steady course in learning the attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling my appetites towards God's purpose. Every step must be done with a purpose. Make every step count.

In retrospect of these verses and what they mean, I find myself getting distracted with work activities. Other times I find that I just want to find a shortcut to get there sooner. My morning times are a great help toward filling me with perspective. I need to keep them in mind beyond the morning time and consider how to keep them at the forefront throughout the day. I pray today Father that your help me with having your Spirit within me remind me throughout the day. I also pray and ask for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. Help me with the perspective to make every step count. These things I ask in your Son Jesus name, Amen.