Old Habits
NEHEMIAH WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL
Have old habits caused you to return to former ways despite witnessing God’s power?
Are you working hard in your own strength, while failing to achieve the desired results?
What minor adjustments are necessary for success?
| John 21:4-7 (NKJV) But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. |
Old Habits
A very similar story to the one above is recorded in Luke 5:1-11. At that time (three years earlier), the disciples had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. When they followed the simple advice that Jesus gave them, they brought in a huge catch.
Since that time, they had been walking closely with Jesus as His disciples. Now, it was three years later, and he had been crucified. They did not yet know that He had been raised from the dead, and they had gone back to fishing. Once again, they had toiled hard and caught nothing, and once again, Jesus (without them knowing yet that it was Him) suggested that they make some minor adjustments to their technique, and once again, the result was a huge catch of fish!
It seems that in spite of all they had witnessed over the past three years, some of the disciples’ old habits had remained the same. We, too, can become set in our ways, doing the same things over and over again and wondering why we aren’t achieving a different set of results for all of our hard work.
Leaders must learn to be flexible and adaptable so that they can thrive in changing circumstances, maintain resilience, inspire innovation, and create successful teams. Just like the fishermen, we may only need to make some minor adjustments, some slight changes to our course or our timing, to achieve the results that we know should be there.
Seek the wisdom of God and allow him to show you the minor adjustments that are required, so that you can bring in the abundant harvest that is your portion.
Our God is the God of new things (Isaiah 42:9), and His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
In light of that, here are some points to ponder:
- Unless we heed Christ’s fresh instruction, being set in our ways will hinder our progress (John 21:6)
- Obedient adjustment releases abundance where human effort has previously failed (Luke 5:5)
- God’s wisdom will realign our timing and technique and produce an abundant harvest (James 1:5)
May your heart always be soft before the LORD, so that you may be always ready to grow in His grace.
Let’s Pray. Lord, keep my heart soft and ready to grow in Your grace. Help me to be flexible, letting go of old habits that hinder my progress. Teach me to lay aside old habits that hinder, and to daily seek Your wisdom and fresh instructions through my devotional times with You, so that my obedience may release the abundant harvest You have promised. Amen.
This devotional is written by Pastor Steve Harris, the founder of Global Influencers, an organization that trains and equips leaders and emerging leaders to establish anointed communities that transform nations by restoring Kingdom culture from grassroots to government in the villages, cities, regions, and nations of the world. He is also the Content Development Assistant in the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community.
Responses