(Proverbs 4:23)
Here are 4 habits I’ve found helpful to focus on to try to live a more faithful, love-filled, productive life.
1. Try to control what you think about. The life you lead will flow from your heart. Try to concentrate on good things; the sort that bring life and health.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
(Proverbs 4:23)
2. Try to control what you say. Your words are powerful, so use them carefully. Before you speak, ask these questions: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
3. Try to control what you look at – as difficult as it is sometimes. In the age we live in, you’ve got to be careful about what you look at. Porn is messing up the view of sex and relationships for so many people. Alternatively, what we look at can help us. You know the good stuff: inspiring films, mountaintops, books, music, and so on. As Jesus said,
“If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.”
(Matthew 6:22)
4. Try to control where you go. There are a ton of shortcuts out there, but if we decide to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus… He will make level paths for our feet.” (Hebrews 12:2,13) The easy path is rarely the right path.
All this trying should be underpinned by the central truth that our efforts are not linked to our salvation. We all fail. And we fail often. But these guides will help you keep rooted in love and heading in the right direction.
Rich blessings,
Pastor John