Denver, my ninety-five-pound dog, has a habit. He routinely stands beside the dog food bin licking its outside. Day in and day out, the same old, same old: lick, lick, lick. By his behaviour, you would think that I starved him, even though he is anything but skinny.

Day in and day out, the same old, same old happens: nothing. The food within never makes its way through the bin walls into his mouth. The bin never wears thin and collapses, allowing him to gobble up its entire contents. The only thing that happens is that he eventually goes away unfulfilled, and once again, I have to wipe down the outside of the bin once he's finished with his futile endeavour.

As I have watched him exercise this habit for years now, I am reminded of the quotation usually attributed to Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Yet, how often we are guilty of doing exactly that! We get into a routine, a habit, and we just keep sticking to it, even if it never changes anything. Marriages and relationships fall apart because people are unwilling to change or to do things differently. We hate our job, but we refuse to go back to school or to look for another one, because we keep thinking that things will change or we are simply too afraid to do things differently. We complain about our weight or our lack of being in shape, and yet we keep doing the same old thing the same old way, and we never experience change. Why? Why? Why?

This is something that we need to consider consciously and take the time to sincerely pray over. We need to discern what is at the root of our behaviour.

Proverbs 18:15 – The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. (NIV)

To discern is to perceive or recognize something — something that God is able to open our eyes to if we make and take the time to seek Him out and allow Him to do it for us.

Today, let us choose not to be a Denver — doing the same old, same old and never getting anywhere. Rather, let us choose to be like the great leader Joshua, whom God commanded, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NIV) Let us stop doing the same old, same old and allow God to do a brand-new thing in our lives, wherever we may need it. Let us not mimic insanity by our futile behaviour, but embrace a renewed mind in Jesus Christ and become more than conquerors.

Prayer: Father God, reveal to each of us today where we may be following the definition of insanity in our lives. Open our hearts to discern knowledge from You, and open our ears to hear Your wisdom, that our lives will not follow habits of futility but embrace the victory of positive change in Christ, in Whose name we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
Send your feedback to the author