The Power to Change summary

In 1 Corinthians 9:26, Paul emphasizes how he doesn’t run without a specific goal in mind. That’s exactly what you need to do, too. After changing how you see yourself, you then need to set your goal, your objective, your win. And as mentioned previously, your goal should be to become more like Christ. 

With that goal in mind, you can start aiming for specific stepping stones that will lead you to that path. Those smaller goals are equally important to define. After all, how can you work on them if you don’t even know what they are? 

There are several techniques you can try to make developing a positive habit much easier. One is by setting up your environment to prompt you to engage in that habit. For instance, if you want to do 300 jump ropes every morning, put your jump rope on the bedside table, so you see it the moment you wake up. 

It helps if you decide on the specifics of your habit ahead of time. Plan what day and time you’ll practice the habit and where you’ll do it. Studies suggest that this is an effective way to commit to that new habit. For instance, as well as deciding that you’ll jump rope in the morning, you allocate the back porch as the place to do it.  

If you’re a follower of Christ, chances are you’re already familiar with Nehemiah. He was the man who urged the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s wall 140 years after the Babylonians destroyed it. It was a daunting task indeed. In fact, many believed it was impossible. But Nehemiah was determined to see it through. His game plan? Simple: put the wall back together one brick after another. 

Day by day, Nehemiah and the Jews placed a brick on the wall, one at a time. They repeated this habit until finally, the wall was back to its former glory. They accomplished what was supposed to be impossible in – drum roll, please – 52 days! Yes, only 52 days. 

Let’s do a quick recap of what we’ve covered so far. In order to make lasting changes in your life, you need to transform your self-perception, train with discipline, and practice your habits consistently. You probably think that’s the end of the story, but that’s where you’re mistaken. There’s still a missing ingredient to make change last: God’s power. 

Yes, you need the Father to help you because in reality, you can’t do it on your own. It’s human nature to give into your bad habits, to do the things you don’t want to do. That’s what Paul warns about in Galatians 5:17. 

The key to creating positive, lasting change in your life is to first change what you think of yourself. Then, start training to change by using discipline to consistently practice your new habits. And finally, let God’s power drive you towards implementing those changes and making them last.