Counsel #11 — Change Of Heart

Picture: Counsel #11 — Change Of HeartCWe 58.1

Have you ever started a new habit with all the best intentions, only to find yourself quitting when it gets tough? Maybe you craved the praise of being fit, or the instant gratification of a nightly reward. This "selfish stairway" often leads to disappointment because it's built on desires that fizzle out quickly.CWe 58.2

Faith in Jesus unlocks God's grace, a powerful tool that helps us overcome our self-centered nature. This "renewed nature" equips us to cultivate appetites that are aligned not just with our fleeting wants, but with Someone bigger, which can be a game-changer for habit building.CWe 58.3

Instead of focusing solely on personal gain (looking good, feeling good), we can connect our goals to a higher purpose, being re-created in God’s image!^{[70]https://www.alstonvillesda.com/2022/06/03/the-sign-of-the-new-heart/}CWe 58.4

"I’m going to give you a new heart, and I’m going to give you a new spirit within all of your deepest parts. I’ll remove that rock-hard heart of yours and replace it with one that’s sensitive to me.” Ezekiel 36:25 ISVCWe 58.5

“To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life.” Ellen White in God’s Amazing Grace, p. 100CWe 58.6

Reflect: When you look at your current habits, do they primarily focus on personal gain, or is there a deeper purpose connected to them?CWe 58.7