Creatures Of Habit: Study Sample

Study: The Hope of The Habit 

If we were doing a word association activity, I bet “hope” wouldn’t be the first word you thought of when I said “habit.” Well, you might think, “I hope I can actually do this habit.” But that’s not quite what we’re talking about. 

You have made it seven days into forming or reforming your habit of study, and maybe you have experienced it for yourself already, or maybe not. But let’s be clear. There is hope in studying the Word of God! How is this possible?

In the Word of God we find that we are not alone. As we read the Bible we begin to see ourselves in these unexpected stories and characters. We are not alone in our pain, questions, fears. Many before us have felt and done the same. And there is a pattern to how God moves in these stories. The pattern is love. 

In the Word of God we find a big story that we are a part of. In the Bible we come into a story that has a beginning and an end. Have you considered the hope in that alone? We do not live in chaos, though to be sure it feels like chaos at times. The beauty of the beginning of Genesis is the idea that our world was created with order. And at the opposite end of the Bible, Revelation reminds us that there will be a time when God makes all things right again. The Alpha and Omega, the One who holds the beginning and the end, is making all things new, and we get to be a part of the story, here in the middle.

In the Word of God we meet Jesus! Jesus changes everything. Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah. Jesus is our hope, and we get to know Jesus in God’s Word. And not just the parts that talk about his birth, death, and resurrection. Jesus is everywhere. The whole Bible is soaked with Jesus. 

• How would your life be different if you were full of hope?
• How does hope affect your ability to continue in this habit of study?

Studying the Word of God gives you hope for your life. This habit can change the rhythm of your life and the fabric of your heart. You are not alone, there is hope! Read John 17:1-5 and be filled with hope!