What’s left when a habit is gone?
habit
a bit
bit
it
t
h a b i t
Growing up my least favorite day of the school week was Friday. Why? Spelling test were always on Fridays. I am an awful speller and would have to try extra hard to get at least a passing grade. Sometimes my brain thinks faster than I can write and the letters become all jumbled up and then the teacher would be announcing the next word on the test and I had to move on. Finally in the fourth grade I had a teacher who took some time with me and gave me “clever clues” to help me remember the order of letters for our vocabulary/ spelling test. One week the word was habit. Mrs. Rathman said that this word had the best clue. She asked me if habits were easy or hard to break. I said “hard”, she said yes and asked if I knew why. I could not put into words why habits were difficult to break so she quickly put it this way.
"When you look at the word HABIT. And you take something away you still have “a bit” left.
You take more away and you have “bit”.
You take another letter away and you are left with it “it” and that is why it’s hard to break a habit because that “it” is always there.
Needless to say I passed that spelling test and have never been confused spelling the word habit ever again. But this week I was thinking about this illustration and wondered why as a child who questioned almost everything why I never pointed out that you could take away the letter “I” and the letter “t” did not spell anything. Then it hit me at the end of a habit the cross is what remains. The letter “t” .
How beautiful is it that as we deny ourselves and our habits we are left with the cross. Gives a new meaning to Luke 9:23 (“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”)
So what habits do I have that separate me from the cross? And make preparing for this journey difficult?
. Habit of worrying
. Habit of doubting
. Habit of self- reliance (pride)
I worry that I am not qualified enough spiritually, mentally, and physically for the World Race. I worry that people will forget about me, or that the new people I meet won’t like me.
But when I ignore the habit what am I left with? The promise that “ God does not call the qualified. He qualifies that called.”
– I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me – Phil. 4:13
I am doubtful that I can raise all of the support I need for the trip.
But what truth am I left with when I ignore the habit?
-And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. – Phil. 4:19
-He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. – 1 Thessalonians 5:24
I rely on myself and dislike asking others for help. In order for me to go on the World Race I need lots of help. I have to rely on God.
What happens when the habit of pride and self-reliance goes away?
– Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. – Psalm 55:22
Please be with me in prayer that these I can abandon these habits that come so easily. And develop the habits of faithfulness, meekness, and of Love.
How great would it be if we all learned to spell the word “habit” backwards, where we start with the cross (“t”) and our habits flow from it.
🙂
