5月12日 不為習慣所束縛

你們若充充足足的有這幾樣，就必使你們在認識我們的主耶穌基督上，不至於閑懶不結果子了。（彼後一8）

習慣開始形成時，我們是知道的。好些時候，我們自覺在德行、忍耐、虔誠上有了長進，但這不過是生命的初階。但若老是停留在這地步，在靈性上必定趾高氣揚，夜郎自大。而正確的做法是把習慣溶在主的生命裡，直至每一種習慣，都不再是自覺的表現。屬靈的生命需要經常自省，因為還有好些品質未加上去。到了最終，與主的關係就極為單純了。

神可能只是你的一套信徒習慣，在指定的時間內祈禱讀經。假若你崇拜的是這些習慣，而不是習慣所象徵的意義－－“我現在沒空，我正在禱告，這是我親近神的時間。”天父可能會把那些時間顛倒。這只是你習慣的時間，你身上仍缺少一些品質。要找出缺點，然後在需要加上去的品質上多多操練。

愛不是習慣，是到了忘掉習慣的地步，達到不自覺的境地。你若自覺聖潔，那麼必然有些事你認為是幹不來的，在某些關係上你也未夠單純；那就是說你還要加上的品質。只有耶穌所過的生活，才是超人的生活，他隨時隨地都與神同在，沒有絲毫隔膜。你有沒有什麼地方與神有隙，不能與他契合無間？讓神在特別的環境下施以壓力，直到你得著他。那時，你的生命就如嬰孩一般單純。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你向我們解明真理，讓我們明白，並使我們在你裡面得以剛強。

May 12 Make A Habit Of Having No Habits

“For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful.” 2 Peter 1:8 （R.V.）

When we begin to form a habit we are conscious of it. There are times when we are conscious of becoming virtuous and patient and godly, but it is only a stage; if we stop there we shall get the strut of the spiritual prig. The right thing to do with habits is to lose them in the life of the Lord, until every habit is so practised that there is no conscious habit at all. Our spiritual life continually resolves into introspection because there are some qualities we have not added as yet. Ultimately the relationship is to be a completely simple one.

Your god may be your little Christian habit, the habit of prayer at stated times, or the habit of Bible reading. Watch how your Father will upset those times if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes – I can't do that just now, I am praying; it is my hour with God. No, it is your hour with your habit. There is a quality that is lacking in you. Recognize the defect and then look for the opportunity of exercising yourself along the line of the quality to be added.

Love means that there is no habit visible, you have come to the place where the habit is lost, and by practice you do the thing unconsciously. If you are consciously holy, there are certain things you imagine you cannot do, certain relationships in which you are far from simple; that means there is something to be added. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there anywhere where you are not at home with God? Let God press through in that particular circumstance until you gain Him, and life becomes the simple life of a child.