While my mother was visiting this last week she said a phrase that really impacted me. She said "You are the sum total of your daily habits". This is as true as true can be! Sometimes I am tempted to think "what's the point of taking a walk today" or "what's the point of eating fresh fruit for lunch today" or "what's the point of reading the Bible today". One little day doesn't seem to matter much does it? This attitude can lead to a whole life full of bad habits: bad eating habits, bad exercising habits and more importantly bad spiritual habits.

My husband was diagnosed with Diabetes about five years ago. At that time we ate your usual American diet: white sugar, white flour, and high fat. I was forced to literally change our entire diet and lifestyle. I had to quickly learn all I could about nutrition and exercise. I read books on nutrition. I learned how to prepare whole foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. I had to be creative and think up new meal ideas. I had to put up with a whole lot of complaints from my kids. Basically I had to be committed to our new eating habits. But what results!

My husband lost 25 pounds and we all got much healthier. We are doing ourselves a lifetime full of good by eating foods that are life giving. My husband’s (and ultimately our whole family's) sum total health is now much better because of our daily habits. And I have such joy in my good health. It is so nice to not be on antibiotics half of each winter. My husband and I have become avid year around walkers. It's a great feeling to actually crave whole grains and fresh produce. The good that our new habits have produced in our lives far outweighs the cost but the key is and always will be: are we willing to pay the price to receive the results? To turn this to spiritual matters is an easy transition.

Many years ago as I was crying out to God about a breakthrough I needed in my life, He really dealt with me about spending time with Him each day. I had been feeling conviction from the Holy Spirit for some time concerning getting up early each morning to have a quiet time with the Lord. Instead of obeying His voice, I had been turning a deaf ear. So at that time I made the choice to obey and to start getting up an hour early each morning to read the Bible, write in a journal and pray. Now just like the example above, this was hard!

At the time, I had a baby who slept until 7:00am each morning. So to get up at 6:00am on purpose seemed like a monumental sacrifice. I had to get up when it was cold and dark. I had to try to stay awake. I had to fail, then repent, then fail again. I had to conquer my laziness and decide to be happy about my newfound quiet time with the Lord. Basically I had to be committed to my new spiritual habit. But what results! I have a solid walk with God now. I have a deep love for His word. I am committed to my local church and the people of God. And I have such joy in my relationship with Jesus.

It is so nice to take to Him all my cares, problems and fears. More times then I can recount I have come to Him needing help desperately and He has never failed to give me the right scripture for the right moment. Or, He has provided the peace I craved. Or, He has given me the faith I needed to just stand my ground and wait for Him. He is WONDERFUL! He is real and His comfort is real. The good that this habit of seeking Him each day has produced in my life far outweighs the cost, but the key is and always will be: Are we willing to pay the price to receive the results?

So, what's the downside? What do you risk by radically changing a life pattern and bad habit? You risk failure. Let me reassure you right now - You will fail again and again. But there is hope in that, because you have to run closer and deeper into your heavenly Father's arms to get the strength to succeed. You will learn that to be dependent upon Him is to be strong in Him.

I have failed in all the area's I have written about today. At times we have slipped back into our old pizza/fast food eating habits. We have had to take the bull by the horns and get our flesh in control and go back to what we knew was right. In the same way I have failed, at times in my life, to have a daily "devotion with God." But there again, I have repented and gone back to what I knew was right.

There is no getting past the fact: You are the sum total of your daily habits. But nothing is written in stone - you can change! Ask God for His help and get started. When you fail (and you will) get back up, ask Him for more help, and continue to do what you know is right. God will be with you, and the good work that He started in you, He will complete.