“Your habits will determine your future”
Believe that quote?
What about this:
This a crunch term for us as a church family discerning together our future. We’re facing big challenges and huge opportunities. To navigate that we need to remind ourselves who we are and why we’re here – what do we want most?
We want to see communities thriving with Jesus at the heart. We do that by creating space for Jesus in our daily lives, together, and for other people. That’s because we genuinely believe that Jesus brings life wherever he goes at an individual level and at a community level.
Jesus said: “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Jesus described himself as the vine and said that we are the branches – whoever remains in the vine will bear fruit, because the life of the vine flows into us. That’s a powerful image of the Christian life you can read here. Just as sap flows through the vine, carrying nutrients and life into the branches….So the life inside of Jesus will flow into us as we remain connected to him, open to him, “abiding” or “living” in him.
What does that look like?
This is where we talk about Habits, Hands and Hubs.
Habits are simple ways that we create space for Jesus in our daily lives. We’re going to explore some in posts over the next few months. They are practical, intentional; they take a bit of discipline…but they determine our future by shaping who we become – one step at a time.
Some habits build, some break.
Habits like prayer, reading the bible, giving generously, hospitality…these build us up. They help us to focus more on Jesus, to get to know Him more, to build muscles of kindness and love.
Habits like silence, solitude, fasting, charging our phones downstairs over night, sabbath…these break unhelpful things that shape us. They remove distractions and the things we use to escape from what is really going on inside. So not only do they create space for Jesus, but they create space for us to Him honestly, as we are.
We’ll talk about these over the next couple of months. If you can’t wait, then explore our previous blogs, audio and tools to help you start forming Jesus centred habits right now.
What about Hands and Hubs?
Check out our site to see more…but Hands remind us of the people and places we want to see thriving with Jesus at the heart. We commit to prayer and practical ways of showing love. A core part of our discerning our future as a church family is centred on recognised the places and people we want to see Jesus make a difference in.
Hubs are where we connect together. These can be anywhere, anytime, and at any stage of our journey of discovering Jesus. Check out where you could connect here.
But for now, let me end by asking:
What habits are shaping you right now?
Are these taking you where you want to go?
Are they helping you find what you want most?
Habits have a cumulative effect, and often the results don’t show up until much later in life.If your habits are bad,in your Christian life, by the time the damage is evident, it will be too late to alter your results. That is why we need to control our habit now( Roman 12:2.) to suit God’s principles of life.