unconscious worry is that if I let go of my habit, my hurt, or my
hang-up, who will I be? This fear can definitely slow down your
growth.
Habits take time to develop. Remember that your character is
the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless
you are habituallykind—you show kindness without even
thinking about it. You can’t claim to have integrity unless it is
your habit to always be honest. A husband who is faithful to his
wife mostof the time is not faithful at all! Your
habits define your character.
There is only one way to develop the habits of
Christlike character: You must practicethem—
and that takes time! There are no instant habits.
Paul urged Timothy, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them
so that everyone can see your progress.”^7
If you practice something over time, you get good at it.
Repetition is the mother of character and skill. These character-
building habits are often called “spiritual disciplines,” and there
growth.
Don’t Get in a Hurry
As you grow to spiritual maturity, there are several ways to
cooperate with God in the process.
Believe God is working in your life even when you don’t
feel it.Spiritual growth is sometimes tedious work, one small step
at a time. Expect gradual improvement. The Bible says,
“Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.”^8 There
are seasons in your spiritual life, too. Sometimes you will have a
short, intense burst of growth (springtime) followed by a period
of stabilizing and testing (fall and winter).
What about those problems, habits, and hurts you would like
miraculously removed? It’s fine to pray for a miracle, but don’t be
PURPOSE #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ 221
DAY TWENTY-EIGHT:
IT TAKES
TIMEare dozens of great books that can teach you how to do these. See
appendix 2 for a recommended reading list of books for spiritual