Daily Devotional

Why is it that good habits take so long to form and can be forgotten in a day?  I heard somewhere that it takes three weeks or 21 days to form a habit.  Three weeks of doing something new and out of your regular routine is a challenge to say the least.  And then, sometimes it feels like the universe is out to get you.  You have a few good days or even a couple weeks of putting a good habit into place and BAM, something new rocks your world.  You get sick or throw out your back or have to go out of town ... the list of why good habits don't get formed is so long.

A habit that I got into two years ago was that every morning I would get up just five minutes earlier and go downstairs, alone, and read a short daily devotion.  These devotions are no more than two or three paragraphs and are quick and easy to follow.  I grew out of my habit after a month or so and haven't picked up the book except here or there since.  Why?  It always put me in the right frame of mind for the day.  It always made me feel better and gave me just a little peace before the craziness of life took hold.  I simply quit the good habit and got out of the routine.  It's so easy to let go of good practices.

Well, last night as I was preparing to host bible study at my house, I pulled out my old 'good habit'.  I read yesterday's devotion and what do you know?  The first sentence was, "Learn to laugh at yourself more freely."  It followed up in the next two paragraphs talking about how we take ourselves and our lives too seriously and we miss the Joy of the world created by God.  We take the world on our shoulders, thinking we have to do it all alone; that we are alone in our struggles.

We are not alone.  We are not the only human that struggles, the only parent who makes mistakes, the only worker who doesn't have all the answers.  I purposefully left the daily devotional book out on the counter so I would be encouraged to read it yet again today.  It was about how we get wrapped up in our 'plans' and try to anticipate what is coming next, rather than enjoying the gifts we are surrounded by.

I felt like the last two days of devotions really sum up what the 'it's okay' philosophy means to me.  While I don't clearly state that God is behind every action and blessing, it's important to remember.  We will mess up.  We will fail.  We will feel alone.  In our darkest hour, not only are there other people in the world who can relate, but God is always in our corner to pick us up and remind us we are not ever alone!

Here's to wishing you luck with any 'good habits' you are trying to put in place.  Whether it's working out, not yelling at your kids, finding time to read ... however you are trying to improve your world ... remember that every little step will make a huge difference to the wonderful person you are already are!  Never forget, you already are amazing just because you are you!

Enjoy the journey you have been blessed with, love the people in your life, smile :) and remember, 'It's Okay'.

Visit www.itsokaybooks.com to learn more!

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