The word “habit” cannot be found in the Bible. Now, we might ask, “Is that good or bad?” It’s neither. But that does not mean that it can’t be placed in front of the word “habit.” For surely there are both good and bad habits and most of us have some of each.

Unfortunately, most of us develop habits without realizing it. They just “seem to happen” when we least expect them and are troublesome to get rid of once we become attached to them. Some of them can be toxic and troublesome like excessive snacking, texting unnecessary messages or wasting time doing things that lead nowhere. Others can be nourishing and nurturing like walking with a pet, setting aside time for prayer and Bible reading or attending church. So, depending on the nature of a habit it can be helpful or hindering.

A helpful habit for every Christian to cultivate is the habit to praise God for His grace, gifts and goodness. The Psalmist said, “I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness.” While this sounds straightforward and simple, we receive so many gifts from God that we scarcely recognize most of them. Unless they are out of the ordinary or we see an answer to a prayer we thought He might have overlooked, we rarely pause and praise Him. How very sad!

Might God’s blessings be slow in coming because we do not burst forth in praise each time He shows His favor to us? Might His gifts increase if we focus more on His goodness and less on our greed? Let’s make praise a habit!

Prayer:  How very sad, Father, that we need to be reminded to give You praise. Grant us grateful hearts! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,

It was a tense trial. The man who was facing serious charges needed someone to testify to his trustworthiness. One of his friends was called to the stand as a witness. He was asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”

He quietly responded, “Yes I do.”

The judge turned to him and asked, “Do you understand the meaning of that oath?”

“Yes, your Honor, I do,” he replied. And then added, “But under those conditions I don’t have much to say.”

What a careful, cautious response. He had much that he could say, but he was clear about what he would not say.

Whatever we put into our minds determines what comes out of our mouths and is seen in our behavior. Paul advised us to program our minds to “Think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and worthy of praise.” What a challenge!

If we take Paul’s advice seriously and pause to consider what we allow to enter our minds, we might be quite surprised. As people of “habits” we do things out of routine that have been established over the years.

Whatever we look at or read, think on or talk about will influence our minds and hearts. Take care!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, fill our minds with thoughts that come from Your Word that will draw us so close to You that we will speak words of praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.