AfterWords | The Things That Form Us

A short read
by Joshua Benton

We are formed, in great part, by our habits. The inverse can also be true: we can form new habits that can, in turn, help form us. In other words, our habits can have profound impacts on the state of our bodies and souls.

On our journey toward Jesus, we come across areas in life that feel incredibly difficult to change. And yet we try.

Habits can help us in our endeavor to Christoformity. Of course, it’s the Spirit that works transformation in our lives. But we can create space so God can do the work only God can do.

In the book Atomic Habits, James Clear writes about the three layers of behavior change. I share these here in the hope they would be of insight and encouragement:

Three Layers of Behavior Change for Habit Formation

 1. Outcome-Based Behavior Change

Here, we try to change our behavior by focusing on outcomes: gaining muscle strength or increasing our vocabulary or getting a better night’s sleep. These efforts often last only a few weeks, at best. Once our passion and our will dry up, the habit does too.

 2. Process/System-Based Behavior Change

We go a layer deeper when we focus on how we’ll accomplish a goal like getting more sleep. For example, we might plan an evening routine to get us in bed earlier. Process-based habits can last longer, but often struggle to hold up when life becomes unpredictable or stressful.

 3. Thought/Identity/Value/Belief-Based Behavior Change

More effective, and going deeper still, we shift our attention to input—the things that inform us of who we are. Instead of simply avoiding caffeine or limiting your nightly Netflix viewing, you are now asking yourself, What kind of person do I need to be in order to get better sleep so I can function well during the daytime? You become someone that values health. Habits based on our identity can bring long-lasting life-change.

 

As Jordan shared this week through a quote by Eugene Peterson: “We live mainly by forms and patterns… if the forms are bad, we live badly.” We see this statement play out over and over, in individuals and in community.

Jesus is after our hearts, and I think part of the reason is because He understands that a good life is rooted in good action, and good actions are often in the form of good habits. And, if the best habits are rooted in identity and belief—or matters of the heart—then it is safe to say we ought to remember who we are.

And who are we? What is our identity? As followers of Jesus, merely speaking words from the Bible does not make us who we are. It’s not our adherence to day-to-day routines, such as devotional practices, prayer, or fasting, that makes us who we are. What makes us who we are is this: the redeeming love of God as seen through the cross and the empty tomb. Christ in us, now children of God.

This is the kind of identity that leads to true and faithful processes in our lives, such as the fasting described in the book of Isaiah. When we act out of our belovedness, this leads to the outcomes God desires for us all: loosening the chains of injustice, setting the oppressed free, and breaking every yoke.

Within us, the Spirit of God is continually transforming us through the renewing of our minds. I ask the following questions that we might ponder the habits we live by—conscious and unconscious, good and bad—so we might be a community that fosters habits that produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control:

• Today, take a moment to observe some of your habits. What were the outcomes of those habits? Were you aware of the habit as it was influencing your behavior? What was happening internally?
• What habits have you cultivated that you are proud of? What habits produce negative outcomes that you would like to see gone?
• When it comes to loving God and neighbor, are there habits already in place that help you do this? Are there habits that detract from your ability to love?
• What are some of the thoughts, values, beliefs, and statements of identity that are at the root of some of your good and bad habits?
• If you were able to instantly create a new habit for yourself—one that would benefit your daily living and soul—what would that be? What processes and systems would need to exist to produce that outcome? Most importantly, what beliefs, values, and sense of identity would need to be in place?

May peace, grace, mercy, and love be with us as we continue our walk—shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand—toward a greater understanding of Christ in us.