Practical Ways to Develop Holy Habits

According to a study conducted at Duke University, habits account for about 40% of our behaviors on any given day. Understanding how to form new habits is essential because what we repeatedly do shapes the person we become.

You might already have good habits in your health, your household chores, or your hygiene—but what about holy habits? A holy habit, or spiritual discipline, is any activity that will help you gain the power to live the life Jesus wants you to live. Habits such as prayer, fasting, Bible reading, church attendance, serving, solitude, and Scripture meditation. Spiritual habits help us have spiritual power. Are the spiritual disciplines in your life second nature or sporadic? 

If you need momentum in this area of your life, here are a few tips. 

Start Small

When it comes to holy habits, we often have an all-or-nothing mentality that sets us up for failure. Try making your goals simple and attainable, such as spending 5 minutes each day in worship, 5 minutes in prayer, and 5 minutes in God’s Word. Pastors Todd and Julie call this the “First 15.” 

Put It on Your Calendar

We can’t assume certain habits will “just happen.” Try setting an alarm or notification on your phone that will remind you of the holy habit you are trying to form. Block time off in your schedule the same way you do for the gym. 1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Team Up

Share your goal with a friend or someone from your small group. Ask them to check in with you. Spiritual strength forms in community and will bring you motivation to stay consistent. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

If your new habit is difficult, keep tweaking it until it works for you and your schedule. Celebrate consistency, not perfection. Following Jesus isn’t a 100-yard dash, it’s a lifetime journey of becoming more like Him every day.