Pull up the Roots
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. -Hebrews 12:13
An elderly teacher, with a pupil by his side, took a walk through a forest. Suddenly he stopped and pointed to four plants close at hand. The first was just beginning to peep above the ground, the second has rooted itself pretty well into the earth, the third was a small shrub, and the fourth was a full-sized tree.
The tutor said to his young companion, "Pull up the first plant." The boy did so eagerly, using only his fingers. "Now pull up the second." The boy obeyed but found the task more difficult. "Do the same with the third," he urged. The boy had to use all his strength to uproot it. "Now," said the instructor, "try your hand with the fourth." The pupil put his arms around the trunk of the tree but couldn't even shake its leaves. "This, my son, is what happens with our bad habits. When they are young, we can remove them readily; but when they are old, it's hard to uproot them, though we pray and struggle ever so sincerely."
A habit is developed through repetition. The more you do something, the more permanent it becomes. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. The more you read your Bible, the more strong a habit of Bible reading is formed. The more you give in to sin, however, the more permanent a sinful lifestyle becomes in your life.
Hebrews 12:13 tells us we can avoid sinful habits and develop good habits by keeping our path straight and our eyes focused on Christ. We all have habits. Whether it's what time we wake up in the morning or which route we take to work, we have daily patterns that we follow.
So what are your habits? Follow the guide in Hebrews 12:13, and set straight your course. Develop the habits and patterns God has laid out in His Word, and let Him give you the victory.
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Daily devotions
SpiritualBible verses with commentary on the side. If you have any questions, prayer requests, or you just want to talk, message me.
