Our well-known habits come from our hearts. What do ours habits of the heart reveal? What do we want them to show about us?

First, there’s Mrs. Margie. She was my dorm mother in junior college. She always talked about the Lord. She was “talking to the Lord this morning,” the Lord gave her peace about something, or “praise the Lord” for an answered prayer. Even when facing death she spoke always of “the Lord.”

And there’s Mrs. Rhonda. She’s always smiling. Her family has been through a great tragedy lately, but she still has the joy of the Lord and and smiles through the sorrow.

Then there’s Brantley. He’s always ready to help. My husband says he could call Brantley and say, “I need you to come run around the house five times,” and as soon as he had time, he would do it.

But there’s also Susan.* She always talks about herself and doesn’t give you a chance to get a word in. I get off the phone with her thinking, “Three words. I said three words in twenty minutes.”

And John.* He always finds something to complain about. Whether it’s a restaurant or church service, nothing is quite up to his standards.

*Names changed to protect friendships!

So, have you ever thought about how would others finish this statement about you: “She’s always __________.”

Would they say you are always positive or always negative?

Always encouraging or always complaining?

Always listening or always distracted?

Always patient or always easily irritated?

Always serving or always too busy?

Let’s consider the life of Dorcas.

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity.” Acts 9:36 CSB

Though not a prominent Bible character and only mentioned in one Biblical account, Dorcas had an always worth noting. When people thought of Dorcas, they remembered how she always did good deeds and served others. She fulfilled the words of John who wrote, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:18 NASB

When Dorcas died she left physical reminders of her love and service. The clothes she had made met physical needs, but also showed Dorcas was a clothed in love (Colossians 3:14). She fulfilled the 2nd greatest commandment by loving her neighbor as herself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

Those around her thought Dorcas’s life was over. They remembered her most by the things she did for others. (You can read the rest of Dorcas’s story in Acts 9:36-42.)

Dorcas always served others.

Let’s bring it down to me and you. Will you consider your always as I consider mine?

What is your reputation fueled by your habits of the heart? When you walk out of the room, what impression do you leave?

Is the always that describes you the one you want people to remember?

If not, it is likely a problem of the heart.

Jesus said, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Luke 6:45 NASB

What habits of the heart do you need to change so your “always” reflects the heart of Jesus?

Start new habits of the heart today.

• Decide how you want others to describe your always, not just when you are gone and everyone tries to focus on the good, but in your daily life now. What is in your heart that you want them to see?
• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal things in your heart that must change before your always will change.
• Repent from any sin or bad habits He shows you.
• Then, with the help of the Holy Spirit, work with “imperfect progress” on changing your actions to match the always you desire and Christ desires for you.

One habit of the heart that can help put the others into place is quiet time with God each day. If you house is like mine, maybe this post, How to Have a Quiet Time in a Loud House,  from my friend Charlie will help.

(First things first: Do you know Jesus? See Know Jesus, Share Jesus or What is the Gospel Anyway? for more about having a relationship with Jesus. )

When others think of me, I want them to remember my desire to always point people to Jesus in word and deed.

What about you? What’s your always, what do you want it to be, and how will you work toward changing your always by changing the habits of the heart?