The Essential Habit

Step back for a second.

Think about your plan for the day. Where did you schedule "Scroll Instagram for an hour"? Now check your phone's app usage.

Let's get more personal. At church, what are you asked to do? Aim high? Or aim low?

In many churches, you can boil it down to: 1. Help out at church 2. Be better

Feel inspired?

Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:7-10:

*But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.*

Here's one training regimen: 1. Read God's word 2. Think about it 3. Pray about it 4. Write down your thoughts about it 5. Practice discussing it with others 6. Apply it 7. Repeat

These habits, repeated over and over again, will prepare you for almost any discussion.

No one is expecting perfection from each of your contributions. (Except maybe you).

But the decision to regularly engage marks a powerful shift in your mindset: - From passive to active - From receiving to contributing - From paying attention to thinking it through

But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.