Habits of HolinessSample

Like the World Is Going to End

When we really see Jesus and who He is, we begin to see ourselves as we really are. That’s why the author of Proverbs continually talks about “the fear of the Lord” (a proper, healthy view of God) being the beginning of wisdom. And wouldn’t we all like some of that? Yes, please. I want to know what to do and how to respond—to be able to walk into any situation with confidence. But how? See, when we know who we are, we’ll know what to do. 

So remind yourself often of the identity you have in Christ—who He says you are. Here’s just a short list of things that Jesus has clearly said about you:

• You are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).
• You are precious in His eyes (Isaiah 43:4).
• He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
• You are His son / His daughter (2 Corinthians 6:18).
• Many are His thoughts about you (Psalm 139:17).
• With Him, you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).

Imagine what it would look like if we acted as if those things were true. See, our behaviors flow out of our beliefs. If you believed that the world was going to end tomorrow morning, you’d be calling all your friends, eating your favorite foods, going to your favorite places, saying all the things you'd been scared to say till then (like the Ben Rector song says)—you know, getting ready! There would be an urgency about you. Because behavior follows belief. 

So, what if you believed you were a child of God, precious and priceless in His eyes, with death-defying power inside of you, goodness chasing after you, and hope securely ahead of you? You’d know beyond a shadow of a doubt that being loved is not based on what you will or won’t do, or on what you have or have not done—it’s based on who you are. This is why God calls you His beloved. When you know your value in His eyes, when you know who you are, you’ll know you don't have to succumb to the pressure someone else places on you sexually. You won’t settle for anyone, including yourself, treating your body like a commodity. You’ll walk into relationships and situations that may previously have been confusing with new clarity. Because when you know who you are, a holy person called to represent your holy God, you know what to do.

Habit 1: Remember who you are.  Remind yourself, every opportunity you can, who you are in Christ. When you’re scared, remind yourself who you are. When you don’t know what to do, remind yourself who you are. Form the habit of remembering your identity, because that is where living a holy life starts. Go ahead, write down some identity statements. The list above will get you started, but it only scratches the surface of all God says you are. For some more help and ideas, check out these three easy steps for writing your words to live by. Place this list somewhere you’ll see it every day and read it outloud to yourself every time you see it. Pretty soon, you’ll have your statements memorized and that truth will come to mind and help determine your decisions.