February Habits

As January draws to a close, let’s all take a look back at how we did establishing new habits in January. Our goals were to make it a habit to pray for a couple minutes as soon as we wake up and before we fall asleep and to read the New Testament for 5 minutes a day. Take a minute now to think about how you did. Don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t do all of these every single day. Just thank God that you prayed and read more than you did in December and ask Him to help you in February.

Speaking of February, it’s time to stretch ourselves and add to our habits. For February, pick a third time of the day that you can pray. This time should be a time that you are a little more awake and alert than when you are lying in bed at the beginning and end of the day. Take a look at your schedule and figure out a time that can be carved out as relatively uninterrupted and undistracted. How about a few minutes after the kids leave for school and before you start whatever chores or errands you have for the day? What about sitting in the car for a few undisturbed minutes before you walk into the office each morning? (Turn you cell phone off—I know from experience that people will look out the office window, see your car and call you!) Maybe your lunch hour will work—or your child’s nap time? Just find 3 minutes that you can pray and make those minutes a habit this month. (Not sure what to say to God during this time? Check out some practical ideas in Learning to Pray).

Also in February, expand your Bible reading from the 5 minutes a day you tried in January to 7-8 minutes each day. As in January, don’t make this a big project or set too lofty a goal. Just read. Drink the New Testament in. (I bought a little New Testament for $3.95 at Barnes & Noble. It fits in my purse so I can easily pull it out and read 5-8 minutes a day when sitting in the car waiting for the kids to come out of school or their various practices. Think about what will work for you so that getting out the Bible and starting to read becomes an almost seamless part of your day.)

Of course, if you are reading these paragraphs and you already have much better habits than the ones we are aspiring to in February, lucky you. You can take the principles of starting small and turning your goals into habits and apply them to some other areas in which you believe God would like to see you grow. Do you feel you should be praying for people beyond your immediate family and friends? Pick 2 minutes of the day and each day spend those 2 minutes praying for government leaders or a missionary your church supports. Are you a little intimidated by the Old Testament? Start reading it in small chunks—5 minutes a day. You get the idea. The point is to stop vaguely thinking that there are areas in which you should be doing better. Instead, pick something that is actually doable and then actually do it--every day.

OK. Ready for February? Let's go.