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My friend Jan Silvious often talks about growing up to be “big girls for Jesus.” Well, for sure if you are a Christ-follower, whether male or female, you have begun a journey with Jesus, and we read in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that in that journey we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. That’s growing up to be big girls—or boys!
Here is another suggestion to help you determine if you’re growing like you should be—into big girls (or boys) for Jesus.
Be willing to change some bad habits.
Someone has said we are all walking bundles of habits, and honestly, I think that is true. So, we have to be aware of our habits and make sure they are contributing to our growth, both spiritually, emotionally and mentally—because they are all connected. Obviously we want to be walking bundles of good habits, and that means we have to get rid of the bad ones—right?
Do you know a bad habit that you need to change? It might be something as innocuous as procrastination, or some poor eating habit, or spending money carelessly or wasting time on social media or television. Identify just one bad habit and start praying about it. Ask God to show you why you hang on to that bad habit. Understanding the cause of a bad habit is very helpful in getting rid of it. It could be that you’ve never had good role models in some area. It could be an insecurity on your part that has led to a bad habit. Maybe it’s just a lazy bone or two that keeps you mired in a bad habit. Find out how that bad habit got there in the first place. If you ask God to show you, he will!
And then replace that bad habit with a good one—a baby step at a time if necessary. Become very intentional about it; think about it; pray about it; plan to replace it; put reminders in place. Do whatever you can to remind yourself, encourage yourself, and challenge yourself to be all that God wants you to be. Getting rid of some bad habits would be a huge step forward in growing up spiritually and emotionally.