There are going to be obvious things to this like “read the Bible” and “go to Church” but has anyone ever given you advice on how to actually be a better Christian day to day?
Like your top ten tips to not sin as a human in the modern world? Share with the class!
How can I be a better Christian in everyday life?
An older friend suggested this and it’s stuck longer than anything else I tried. At the end of each day, take two minutes and ask where I noticed God and where I ignored Him. I still skip days.
The “top ten tips to not sin” thing gives me pause. When I tried living that way I ended up more focused on my own record than on God.
Start small. If you get mean online, stop opening the app when you’re angry. Pick one temptation you keep giving in to and make it harder to act on, and if you lied to someone, go correct it with them.
Most of my hours are errands and people who need something from me.
What has helped is noticing a want before I act on it, a sharp reply especially. It feels like relief in the moment, and later I see it was impatience. Staying with the next ordinary thing has shaped my faith more than trying not to sin.
Going back to correct the lie is the only real repentance in that list and the app thing is just behavior management dressed up as sanctification.
Not opening the app when I’m angry has been absolutely the best thing ever for me, so I love that you put it first.
Sorry if this is slightly off track, but noticing that sharp reply as relief that’s really impatience has helped me so much during long afternoons of errands.
Gratitude first and where we ignored Him second. Otherwise even a simple prayer can become another streak we’re scared to break.
Faith starts looking like a Mario high score.
The ‘want’ shows up as a tightening in my chest right before I say the thing. If I catch it in time, I don’t say it. But half the time I want to be right out loud, and the relief is secondary. How did you get to noticing it, though?
Wanting to be right out loud is my pattern too. I used to call it honesty. Looking back, a lot of it was wanting someone to see me a certain way, and I’m still not sure I always know the difference in the moment. Going back afterward, even days later, and saying ‘you were right about that part’ when it’s true has helped a little. James says slow to speak, and that starts with being slow to need the last word.
Thanks, that’s a better way to look at it.
I could take a minute before bed to thank God for something specific, then think over where I could have been more patient or kinder.
It started with loving myself with God’s love. Sometimes that meant doing for myself what I wished someone else would do for me.
I tried forcing good behavior I didn’t want, and that only built resentment.
Philippians 2:13 says it’s God who works in you, both to desire and to work for his good pleasure, so even the wanting comes from him.
Give it time.
I’m working on showing up to pray on the mornings I don’t feel it. Wanting to obey God on those mornings seems to be what He works with.
Repenting and believing He died and rose again. That’s the foundation.
I end up reading John 1 a lot, the part about the Word becoming flesh and everything being made through Him. Reading the Bible started to feel like getting to know Him.
Praying every day grew out of that.
The biggest change in my day-to-day was just talking to God. I tell Him what’s going on, the way you would with your dad.
At Mass I try to pay attention to the Gospel and the homily instead of zoning out. If something sticks with me I’ll dig into it in a book later.
Looking into other traditions helped too. I was Anglican for years before I became Catholic.
It mostly comes down to finding the gift God gave you and using it.
It could be teaching, hospitality, encouragement, or fixing the stuff nobody else wants to deal with. Whatever yours is, use it at church and in your neighborhood.
Then ask for more. Scripture says to eagerly desire the greater gifts. He’s generous, and He likes giving more to people who’ve been faithful with a little.
Also give, whether that’s your time or your money.
Hebrews 11:6 says God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. I’ve been trying to take the “earnestly” part to heart lately, so when I pray now I go in actually expecting Him to show up.
On days I blow it, Proverbs 24:16 keeps me going and I try to get back up the next day.
Gospels first if reading the Bible feels like a lot. The Bible Project videos break each book down in a way that’s much easier to follow.
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence is a good read. It’s short and it’s about living out your faith in ordinary daily work.
Before any list of don’ts, look at who you’re praying for. Praying for the people who’ve wronged me has softened me toward them more than any rule I’ve tried. Weirdly, it softened me toward myself too.
The other one is the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”). I mostly use it on ordinary days.
