bible verses about habits

Cultivating Habits of Grace: 6 Inspiring Bible Verses About Habits

As you take an inventory of 2022 and look ahead to 2023, you may pause to reflect on your habits, whether you see them as good or bad.

Setting new habits and breaking bad habits can feel like a frustrating and tiring process. From studies on forming habits, it can take over two months for a new habit to become an automatic response. Unfortunately, breaking habits is an even longer process taking an average of 66 days.

So, where do you start? Before beginning the new year, what are the habits you want to set and break? More importantly, as a believer, you may wonder what the Bible says about habits.

Take some time to dive into the Bible verses about habits to guide you toward healthy and biblical habits for the new year.

Bible verses about habits

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Creating a Habit of Perseverance

Upon searching for the word “habit” in Scripture, we find it only once in Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) says,

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

bible verses about habits

You could interpret this as belonging in the category of Bible verses on bad habits, where believers are instructed against making a bad habit of neglecting fellowship with other believers. Or, you could turn it on its head and see that the goal should be to create and invest in the habit of involving yourself in fellowship with other believers. 

A habit of true fellowship requires perseverance. To do so, creating routines of biblical connection goes beyond a Sunday morning appearance or attending occasional events. Biblical fellowship involves investment and a recurring habit of building relationships.

Choose to Put On Habits Found in Scripture

What other Christian habits can you find in Scripture to aid in setting yours for the new year?

Take a look at Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV). It’s a long passage, but it sets a precedent for putting on the virtues of Christ. Believers are instructed to “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, love, and peace.

Philippians 4:8 (ESV) says,

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

bible verses about habits

Consider the ways you can create habits of grace from these virtues. Where can you build a habit of compassion or patience in your church, your neighborhood, or your home?

In your thought life, how can you set habits to focus on what is true and pure to protect your mind and heart?

Write down one or two biblical habits you want to focus on for the new year and how you will make each one a priority.

Also Read: How to Start a Prayer Journal and Keep it Up + Free Prayer Journal Templates

Create a Habit of Thanksgiving

Throughout Scripture, you see themes of expressing thanksgiving and gratitude to the Lord. Among the Scriptures on habits, is this verse in 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) says,

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

bible verses about habits

How does this translate to a habit? It takes intentionality to make gratitude and thanksgiving a regular rhythm in your life and family. 

Maybe this encourages you to find a gratitude journal to write in daily praises of thanksgiving. You could ask your family at the dinner table what they were thankful for that day. The focus is to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving for the new year.

Habits to Protect Your Faith

As you plan for your new habits, the enemy will want to destroy your efforts to succeed in cultivating habits of grace in your life. John 10:10 (ESV) explains,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

bible verses about habits

Knowing this encourages believers to set habits that protect the mind and heart from attacks from the enemy.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV) instructs,

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.” The enemy will want to distract you from the virtues of Christ by fulfilling fleshly desires.

bible verses about habits

Setting boundaries and implementing biblical habits will keep you from being “dominated” by anything ungodly.

Reading 12:2 (ESV), we learn,

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

bible verses about habits

If you found yourself looking for a Bible lesson on habits, this one hits the nail on the head.

The habits of a believer should look different from the habits of the world, and renewing the mind is a daily process, not an overnight switch to flip. So, developing habits that are good and acceptable requires leaning into Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with believers to make a habit, a habit.

Ready to start planning with purpose??

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Habits to Know and Enjoy Christ

If we were to make all this more practical, consider the habits you could choose to focus on for the new year. What is the primary goal? The goal shouldn’t be to “be a better Christian” or to check off the boxes of things a believer should be doing. The goal should be to know and enjoy Christ more than you do now!

Habits to build more enjoyment in your relationship with Christ are daily time spent in the Word, prayer throughout your day, Scripture memorization, and involving yourself in true fellowship with other believers.

As busy moms, you can feel pressured to spend hours in “quiet time” before your day begins. Yes, that would be so wonderful and ideal. But moms don’t live in a world of ideal (or in the quiet). 

Consider your habits through a relational lens. Christ wants time with you each day. It doesn’t need to be highly structured, for a specific length of time, or even quiet. 

You can focus on one verse for a week and revisit it multiple times until it is committed to memory. You can pray simple prayers throughout the day while caring for your kids or feeling drained at your job. 

Do not overcomplicate or over-spiritualize it. Cultivating habits of grace can be simple and realistic for where you are in your life while ensuring that Christ remains the center of your heart and home. 

Bible Verses About Habits to Encourage Your Daily Routine

Whether you want to set new or break old habits, these Bible verses about habits should encourage and strengthen you to focus your eyes upward. 

Let the habits you strive for seek to honor Christ by deepening your relationship with Him and protecting your mind and heart from the attacks of the enemy. Remember, the goal of our habits as believers is to take on the mind of Christ: loving well and serving well for the joy of knowing and loving Christ.

Written By: Brittany Thieman

Being a working mom is challenging, and the pressure to “do it all” can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, we can learn from Scripture and from other moms to live out our callings while keeping the Gospel at the center of our homes.

My name is Brittany, and I work as a Director of Operations for a company and run a small business while raising my two young daughters and baby boy on the way. My husband is a pastor, and we just recently relocated from North Carolina to Texas for a new church position. The Lord has taught us much in this busy and tiring season. I hope to encourage other mamas in their journey toward pursuing Christ in the messiness, beauty, and fatigue of motherhood.

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