Tag: habit

Directing Your Steps

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

Does God direct your steps?

Do you allow Him to plan your days?

When you wake up, what is your first thought?

Often we decide what is next.

We decide what is on the agenda.

But is that the very best?

When you look back at your life, what steps will be the most memorable?

Which ones will come to mind?

Sure there are big steps like marriage, the birth of children, the death of loved ones.

But even those are made of little steps in between.

The dating years that led up to your wedding day.

The long days of pregnancy, leading up to the birth.

Years of moments with your loved one before their last.

When you think of your childhood, lots of little steps create the emotion you feel when recalling your youth.

The millions of tiny moments with your children create the fond yearning of wishing to hug their little selves just one more time.

Healthy eating, exercising, or any healthy habit consist of directing step after step.

Bad ones, too, unfortunately, arrive just the same way.

Ask God to direct your steps.

He wants the best for you. The very best.

It’s never too late to start.

And today is a great day to begin.

Photos by Lacey Raper, Renaud Confavreux, Samuel Foster, & Jake Hills on Unsplash

Choosing Hope

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:5

Do you ever talk to yourself?

Talk yourself into something or out?

Ever tell yourself to buck up?

Or to stop it?

These days, when you’re talking to yourself, you can pretend you’re important, talking instead to someone on your wireless headphones.

The verses above are written by someone who is talking to himself.

Asking his very soul why he is down.

When you are down, do you ask yourself why?

Or do you already know the reason.

The Psalmist is not asking why his soul is down.

He knows why.

He is asking why he haven’t risen above the crud.

Why he is still choosing not to praise God instead.

He goes on to literally tell himself to hope in God.

He reminds himself to choose hope.

Then declares he will again praise God, reminding himself of God’s salvation.

Try it.

The next time you are down, tell yourself to hope in God.

Declare you will praise God instead.

Remind yourself of God’s perfect salvation.

Choose to focus on God, purposing to choose hope instead of despair.

It’s ok to remind yourself.

Until it becomes a habit to choose hope in God instead of despair in your situation, you’ll need to purpose yourself.

But don’t worry.

God would love to help you.

Every single time.

Photos by Lina Trochez on Unsplash