A WORD FOR TODAY, October 28, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, October 28, 2025
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you didn’t learn Christ that way, if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.” Ephesians 4:17-24, WEB
I am a creature of habit. I do my laundry on Wednesday. I follow the same routine at bedtime each night. I try to get the same parking spot at the grocery store. I use the same lane on familiar roads. I turn on my tablet every morning to play word games that wake up my mind for the day. I change the sheets of my bed on a regular basis. I clean my studio when it reaches a certain level of clutteredness. I wear certain pants with certain shirts. I do things in a specific way, even to the point of annoying others when I redo their helpfulness because they didn’t do it my way. I am sure every reader can make a similar list. Our habits are generally not bad, and hopefully we are not so inflexible that we can’t deviate, but I know I am more stressed when I have to do things a different way.
Old habits are hard to break, but sometimes it is necessary to do so. Life changes when a woman becomes a mother and old habits have to be changed to allow the new creature into her life. Life changes again when children grow up and go out on their own, so we don’t have to continue the habits revolving around them. A new house, a new neighborhood, or a new job will make changes inevitable as you have to adapt to schedule changes, neighbors, or traffic. Illness also interrupts our habits as we have to do things in a whole new way. These new, different things can get in our way and frustrate our habits.
Sometimes our habits should be frustrated. Faith calls for a new life, a change in the way we do things. The habits of our old flesh may need to be rejected. Of course, I’m not talking about brushing my teeth before bed or cleaning my bed sheets, but perhaps we should consider other changes. I tend toward chocolate when I am stressed, a habit I should avoid. Of course, life in Christ means that we should look at the world in a new way, without the fear, or anxiety, seeing stressful times as new opportunities to trust God. Our lives will not be perfect, but when we trust in Jesus Christ, we do not feel the stress. As Paul wrote, no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind.” This means that life without God is intellectually frustrating, useless and meaningless.
The life in Christ also means giving up those things that we did before we were saved that do not belong in a holy life. We are no longer alienated from God, and we are no longer ignorant; in Christ we stand in the presence of God and we see clearly that our old habits do not glorify Him. We have learned from our Lord about how to live according to His Word, putting Him first, relying on Him, even in the times of stress. Instead of running for a bag of M&Ms when things are not going my way, I should get down on my knees and pray, for God can, and will, give me the strength to get through it. Faith makes us new, and the habits of the old creature will be transformed into something new as God transforms us to be like Him in true righteousness and holiness.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.