The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Developing the Habit of Godliness
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—Titus 1:1
The term godliness appears most frequently in the writings of Paul, specifically in the Pastoral Epistles. Godliness is a respect for God that leads us to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Paul frequently emphasized the need to develop our knowledge of the truth about God so that we may, in turn, live in a way that is based on reverence and respect for him (see Titus 1:1).
The practice of godliness is a discipline that focuses on God. By making a habit of deepening our reverence and awe for our Creator, we will become more inclined to live godly lives.
Here are three mini-habits that can help us to develop the practice of godliness:
- Memorize and meditate on 1 Timothy 4:8: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
- Make a list of seven characteristics of God’s nature. Once a day for a week, spend time thinking about what that part of his character means and how that attribute affects your response to him.
- Read a book, article or encyclopedia entry on an intriguing creature or natural phenomenon. Use it to reflect on God’s creative abilities and to increase your desire to worship the Creator.
Practical Takeaway: To increase our godliness, we can develop habits that increase our respect, reverence and desire to worship our God.
Taken from the NIV Spiritual Habits Bible.