“In the morning when I rise I set my mind to You … Jesus.
I purposely choose You, I choose love, I choose to serve.”
This kind of language is has saturated me for years. I’ve been listening to Kathy Troccoli’s song “I will choose Christ” and making it my own declaration for years. In fact her entire album ‘Sounds of Heaven’ is worth listening to — many, many times. There are tremendous lines of commitment sung with great passion. I’m actually listening to it now as I write this devotional at the beginning of my day.
Building the right habits takes time, consistency, repetition, dedication, and discipline. It’s always SO easy to allow bad habits to form in us as the flesh always decides for us and leads us in the direction of corruption which always feels so comfortable. Of course that doesn’t mean we can’t begin to enjoy the good habits — they just usually don’t start out that way. We have to choose each day and begin anew walking down the path of righteousness, and relationship with Him. We have to choose everyday what we want. If we don’t make a strong choice from our spirit then our flesh will choose for us. Many begin to choose the right habits for their physical bodies, eating right and exercising, but even fewer begin choosing to make good habits for their mental health, and even a fewer segment of people choose good habits for their spiritual lives. And as usual the normal progression with most people usually begins with the physical aspect of their lives. When actually in this universe things begin in the spiritual realms.
We should be focused on our spiritual lives and developing them and relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit as our number one priority… daily. The Holy Spirit will grow His fruit in us, beginning with self control, which eventually will lead to the mental and physical aspects of us. Any good habit begins with a choice to act. The same applies in our spiritual lives. Prayer. Choices. Focus. From the very moment of waking we have the ability to choose. I also believe we have the ability to choose in our dreams — but that would need to be another post. Making the time to read the Word, and listening (prayer) to the Holy Spirit should become a daily habit and routine, and eventually that habit spreads out through your entire day.
So determine today – that you will build some great spiritual habits into your life. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit where He wants you to begin. What He wants you to do. Then choose to say “YES” to Him and follow through. Commit to a daily practice, time, and place — as He directs you.
I will choose Christ.