there is a huge debate about how Christians should act and behave and what habits we should have to lead a virtuous life close to God but little is said about the habits we already have that are extremely negative for our life and Faith Lewis writes it is not your current condition but the direction in which you are moving that matters recognition of One's Own errors is the first step to sanctification in this video I will talk about the habits you should avoid to have a fulfilling happy life according to God's will for according to him
do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good pleasing and perfect will Romans 12:2 the first habit we need to identify and eradicate is pride Lewis believed that pride is the greatest obstacle between man and God when someone places themselves at the center of their own Universe they automatically displace God from that position making it difficult to submit to his will and recognize their dependence on him this creates a barrier in the
relationship that is essential for spiritual life hindering the flow of divine grace Pride goes Before Destruction a hoty spirit before a fall Proverbs 16:18 in his words Pride this cunning force that seduces us to place ourselves above others acts as the Catalyst for all other sins establishing itself as a deeply contrary mental posture to the essence of the Divine it is through comparison this almost instinctive impulse to measure ourselves against others that Pride gains ground feeding on the pleasure of seeing oneself as Superior in this Relentless race for Supremacy the elimination of competitive Behavior emerges
as the key to eradicating Pride without the need to compete this obsessive need to stand out loses its foundation however the nature of pride is such that even when an individual achieves more than they could ever aspire to there is an insatiable thirst for more a constant attempt to reinforce their position of power The Gaze of The Proud always directed from above downwards reflects a posture of judgment and disdain towards others an invisible barrier that isolates and distances this elevated yet limited perspective obscures the view of any possibility of spiritual elevation or deep connection with
the sacred after all by fixing our Gaze on the ground we lose the ability to Lift Our Eyes to the Sky to that which truly matters and transcends our Earthly existence in this way Pride not only distances us from others putting us on a pedestal of false superiority but also distances us from the possibility of a genuine encounter with the Divine for those seeking spiritual growth recognizing and combating pride becomes a fundamental step this this involves cultivating humility practicing empathy and opening oneself to vulnerability recognizing that we are all equal in our search for meaning
and connection only then can we begin to avert our gaze from the deceptive reflection of Pride directing our vision upwards in search of a deeper understanding of the purpose of our journey and the constant presence of the Sacred in our lives the second habit we should consider changing is neglecting spiritual disciplines there are many including prayer reading and meditating on the Bible fasting service worshiping God confession communion and embracing Simplicity however let's focus on the most important ones in Lewis's view which highlights prayer studying scriptures meditation and active participation in a faith community as essential
practices in the Christian Journey these disciplines are the means by which we draw closer to God understand his plan for us and cultivate a deeper relationship with him for example prayer is often described as the Soul's breath a continuous dialogue with the Creator that sustains us through life's ups and downs prayer is the heart of spiritual life an intimate dialogue with God it's not just about presenting our requests or thanks but about cultivating an ongoing relationship with the Creator in prayer we open our hearts to God sharing our innermost thoughts fears desires and gratitude this
allows us to feel his presence in our lives more tangibly and receive Direction comfort and peace regular prayer strengthens our faith and helps us stay focused on God especially in difficult times studying scriptures on the other hand nourishes our minds and Spirits offering guidance comfort and wisdom to face everyday challenges scripture study is fundamental for any Christian seeking to grow in their faith the scriptures are the living and active word of God capable of speaking into our lives today through diligent study of the Bible we can understand the teachings of Jesus the history of God's
people and the principles that should guide our behavior and decisions this study equips us to face life's challenges with wisdom and to share our faith with others in an informed and convincing manner meditation allows us to slow down and deeply reflect on our life and purpose promoting a sense of inner peace and Clarity Christian meditation is a contemplative practice that helps us focus our minds and hearts on God by meditating on scripture on God's Works in creation or on aspects of Christ life we delve more deeply into the mystery of Faith meditation allows us to
slow down amid the busyness of Modern Life providing space to hear God's silent voice this practice enriches our spiritual understanding and can transform how we live allowing Christian values and teachings to permeate our being and actions and participating in a faith community connect connects us with other believers allowing us to share our Journeys learnings and mutual support the Christian faith was never meant to be lived in isolation participation in a faith community offers support encouragement and opportunities to serve and grow spiritually alongside other believers these communities are places where we can share our struggles celebrate
our Joys and learn from one another through Collective worship group Bible study and community activities we are reminded that we are part of a larger body the church called to reflect Christ's love in the world neglecting spiritual disciplines is in many ways to forgo the tools that have been given for our growth and strengthening in faith without these practices our connection with God may become superficial or distant our understanding of his will may become blurry and our ability to face life's adversities with Grace and courage May diminish the third habit that deserves our attention is
rampant consumerism is m a practice quite distant from the principles advocated by CS Lewis in the Christian tradition consumerism will distract you from your spiritual purpose it can easily become an idol as it occupies the center of a person's life displacing God from that position when the accumulation of material Goods becomes the primary priority spiritual purpose in the pursuit of a deeper relationship with God can be neglected no one can serve two masters either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other you
cannot serve both God and money Matthew 6:24 it changes your values materialism greed and selfishness are contrary to the Christian teachings of contentment generosity and love for others consumerism encourages a mindset of never being satisfied which is incompatible with the Gratitude and satisfaction found in God I am not saying this because I am in need for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty I have learn the secret of being content in any and every situation whether
wellfed or hungry whether living in plenty or in want I can do all this through him who gives me strength Philippians 41123 it creates barriers to altruism and generosity the focus on accumulating wealth can lead to neglecting the needs of others creating barriers to the exercise of generosity and love for others which are fundamental in Christianity rampant consumerism often results in a cycle of self-indulgence that limits the ability to look outside oneself and serve others love your neighbor as yourself there is no commandment greater than these Mark 12:31 you will feel empty incomplete and distant
from God the Relentless pursuit of more material Goods can lead to a sense of chronic dissatisfaction action and spiritual emptiness this is because material Goods no matter how abundant can never fully satisfy the Deep spiritual and emotional needs of human beings only an intimate relationship with God can offer the true satisfaction and purpose that the human heart longs for whoever loves money never has enough whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income this too is meaningless Ecclesiastes 510 the Bible in Hebrews 13 5 exhorts us to keep our lives free from the love of
money and to be content with what we have for God has said never will I leave you never will I forsake you habit for indifference to others indifference can manifest in various ways from failing to offer help when one has the capacity to do so to ignoring the emotional or physical needs of others in an increasingly interconnected world where news of injustices and sufferings is constantly at our fingertips it becomes easy to fall into apathy or disinterest justifying inaction with the feeling that the problem is too big or that the effort of a single person
won't make a difference from a Christian perspective indifference to others is problematic for several reasons firstly it directly contradicts the second greatest commandment as mentioned by Jesus love your neighbor as yourself this commandment leaves no room for indifference instead it demands a proactive attitude of care and compassion furthermore indifference weakens the community Christianity emphasizes the importance of community and mutual support the idea that we are all members of one body in Christ that's why the practice of the disciplines we mentioned earlier is so important for strengthening your faith family community and Society in general they
are our tools and swords to confront evil and make the world a better place Jesus Christ lived and taught the antidote to indifference active compassion he approached the marginalized healed the sick and fed the hungry demonstrating a love that moves towards the other regardless of their status or condition society's indifference to these issues and even to Jesus himself culminated in his crucifixion an ultimate Act of rejection through his example and sacrifice Jesus highlighted the gravity of indifference and the call to Comba in it with love and action the fifth habit deserving our attention is the
promotion of skepticism as a virtue especially when it leads to Total distrust towards faith in Christian teachings the Bible encourages us to have faith even when we cannot see or fully understand now Faith is confidence in what we hope for and Assurance about what we do not see Hebrews 11:1 faith is presented as a trust in God and his promises a belief that transcends what is IM immediately evident or probable to human eyes skepticism often misunderstood as synonymous with cynicism or total disbelief can be considered a virtue when understood as a questioning and investigative approach
to knowledge beliefs and assertions in this context skepticism doesn't reject truth but encourages rigorous pursuit of it demanding evidence and logical reasoning before accepting any claim as true this approach can be particularly valuable in various areas of life including spirituality science and everyday matters a skeptic in The Virtuous sense of the term doesn't dismiss information outright but approaches it with an open and questioning mind this involves critically evaluating evidence before forming an opinion or belief this stance promotes deep understanding and prevents blind acceptance of potentially false or misleading ideas Lewis delved into a profound faith
in Christ interestingly it was his intellectual skepticism that played a crucial role in this transition Lewis was naturally questioning and possessed a sharp and analytical mind qualities that initially led him to atheism however these same qualities also paved the way for his conversion to Christianity Lewis was an academic par excellance with deep respect for logic evidence in The Pursuit Of Truth his skepticism encouraged him to constantly question beliefs and ideas including his own atheistic assumptions he was dissatisfied with the simplistic answers of both atheism and materialism to Life's fundamental questions about the universe and human
existence in his quest for answers Lewis began to realize the limitations of materialism and naturalism the belief that everything in the universe can be explained solely by natural processes and physical laws he questioned whether such World Views were sufficient to Encompass the full Human Experience including morality Beauty love and spirituality lewis' skepticism didn't operate in a vacuum he was greatly influenced by friends and colleagues including JRR tolken a devout Catholic Who challenged Lewis to reconsider Christianity not just as a moral mythology but as historical truth and divine revelation through long conversations and debates Lewis was
encouraged to apply his intellectual rigor to examining the claims of Christianity eventually Lewis concluded that the Christian faith offered a more coherent and satisfying worldview than atheism or agnosticism he was particularly drawn to the idea of the Incarnation God becoming man in Jesus Christ which he saw as the key to understanding human nature and purpose for Lewis Christianity made logical sense and satisfied the longing for something beyond the material his transition from skeptic to believer was not instantaneous but a gradual process of questioning reflection and ultimately acceptance Lewis described his conversion not as a blind
leap of faith but as the most reluctant convert in all of England coming to the Christian faith kicking struggling resentful and darting his eyes in every direction the sixth habit that we need to reassess and transform is the lack of forgiveness Lewis often emphasized forgiveness as essential to the Christian Life reflecting the Forgiveness that God offers us according to him forgiveness is a necessity for our own spiritual and emotional Liberation forgiveness frees us from bitterness and allows us to live in peace with ourselves and others the inability to forgive is a deeply rooted issue that
can have devastating effects on the life of a Christian both spiritually and emotionally within the Christian context forgiveness is not just recommended it is a Commandment that reflects the very heart of the Gospel Jesus taught his followers to forgive highlighting it as an essential prce practice in the Lord's Prayer forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors Matthew 6:12 therefore refusing to forgive not only disobeys a central principle of Christianity but can also lead to destructive consequences for the individual the lack of forgiveness creates a barrier between the individual and God in
Christianity forgiveness is an expression of divine Love by refusing to forgive the Christian distances themselves from this love this can lead to a stagnant spiritual life where communion with God is hindered limiting the ability to fully experience his grace and mercy resentment and bitterness are direct consequences of the inability to forgive these feelings can consume a person affecting their mental physical and spiritual health the Bible warns against bitterness as in Hebrews 12:15 which says see to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no Bitter Root grow shows up to
cause trouble and defile many resentment can poison all areas of a Christian's life including their relationships peace of mind and ability to love themselves and others the inability to forgive not only affects the individual's relationship with God but can also destroy Human Relationships forgiveness is essential for healing and restoring relationships without it past offenses and hurts continue to Fester preventing reconciliation and the building of trust this can result in isolation loneliness and a destructive cycle of broken relationships refusing to forgive impedes personal and spiritual growth Christianity sees forgiveness as an essential step in the process
of sanctification the Journey of becoming more like Christ without a willingness to forgive the Christian finds themselves trapped in a state of spiritual immaturity unable to progress towards a deeper understanding of God's love and mercy habit seven resistance to change resistance to change is a common but profoundly limiting challenge that can impact the life of a Christian in various significant ways in the Journey of Faith change is not only inevitable but often a sign of spiritual growth and transformation however when Christians resist change it can lead to negative spiritual emotional and relational consequences affecting their
walk with God and their role within the faith community one of the most severe conse quences of resistance to change is spiritual stagnation Christianity is a living faith presupposing a dynamic and ever evolving relationship with God resistance to change can cause a Christian to become stuck in patterns of behavior thought and spirituality that do not reflect growth or deepening of this relationship without change the spiritual journey risk becoming routine and lifeless depriving the Christian of new understandings and experiences that s ulate Faith resistance to change can also lead to missing opportunities to serve and contribute
to the community the movement of the spirit often calls us out of our comfort zone leading us to new Ministries forms of service or Mission Fields by resisting these changes Christians May Miss Precious opportunities to make a difference in the world and live according to their spiritual callings change is a natural part of life and relationships when Christians resist change it can cause cause tension and conflicts with friends family and members of the faith community who are growing and changing the inability to accept and adapt to changes in others can lead to isolation misunderstandings and
the deterioration of important relationships resistance to change can negatively impact Christian witness Christianity is a faith that manifest through love compassion and relevance to the world around a Christian who resists change may appear outdated inflexible or irrelevant to contemporary issues and challenges compromising their ability to effectively witness the gospel in summary while change can be uncomfortable and challenging embracing it is essential for spiritual growth effective Ministry and vibrant Christian witness resisting change not only hinders personal growth but also limits the impact Christians can have on their communities and the world therefore Christians are encouraged to
remain open to the movement of the spirit embracing change as an opportunity for growth transformation and faithful living if this video has been helpful to you in any way I would be very grateful if you could help me as well please consider subscribing to the channel leaving your like and sharing your feedback in the comments I am interested to know if the quality of the message was satisfactory for you or if there is anything I can improve upon additionally if you are interested in deep deepening your knowledge of Cs Lewis's Christian teachings be sure to
check out the video I'll be highlighting on the screen it offers valuable insights on how to strengthen your faith unwaveringly
