Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t want to be religious?” Most of us understand what they’re saying to mean that they don’t want to go through the motions without their heart being involved – or – they don’t want to live by rules and regulations. The actual meaning of the word religious is something you and I both need. As a matter of fact, if a person is not religious (in the proper sense), it is unlikely that they will ever succeed. The word religious comes from two old Latin words. The first is Religare, which means to bind, and Religio, which implies obligation, bond, and reverence.

One of the most quoted sayings of John Maxwell is an excellent definition of the word religious. “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John Maxwell.

If you are religious in the right way, it means that you have chosen to be consistent and constantly faithful to something you’ve committed to. Lewis Howes has said, “I have learned that champions aren’t just born; champions can be made when they embrace and commit to life-changing positive habits.”

In the parable of the talents, Jesus spoke about being religious in a good way – he said, “ ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:23.

For employers, finding people with a solid work ethic is almost like finding a gold mine – well, kind of. :-) A person who is faithful with little things can usually be trusted with big things. If a person will work hard for $10 an hour, they are very likely to work hard for hundred dollars an hour. It’s a matter of the heart – it’s about a work ethic.

Do you remember the story of Daniel and how he prayed three times a day? Even when his life was threatened because of his commitment to prayer, he was unwilling to stop getting on his knees three times a day to pray to God. Wow! The Bible says, “whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12. If you know the story, you know that God raised Daniel to one of the highest positions of power on the earth during his day.

Winning and being successful is not an accident; it requires being religious about what God has called you to do. Vince Lombardi says that “winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” How true this is! To be successful, you have to be committed and consistent. The success of your future can be found in your daily routine.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food (the word of God) is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

How did they train themselves to distinguish good from evil? By constant use. Consistency is the key! Doing a little bit every day will get you much further than trying to do a whole lot for a short period.

Habit is a powerful word! The more you do something consistently, the more it will become a habit. This is a wonderful thing if the habits are good. Samuel Johnson once said, “the chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

What are you religious about? If you were to be honest about your daily routine, where would it declare that your life is going? As I think about you and pray for you today, I am asking God to give you new wisdom and insight into what you’ve chosen to be religious about because…

Your Daily Routine Determines Your Future