Terrod Hatcher January 12, 2026

Renewal Begins with Where You Look

There’s a reason Scripture puts so much emphasis on where we fix our eyes. When God called Joshua to lead Israel, He told him not to turn to the right or the left but to stay focused on God’s Word. Proverbs echoes the same instruction: “Let them not depart from your eyes.”

Because when we look poorly, we tend to veer.

Most of us don’t wake up one day and decide to drift away from God. It usually happens slowly. Our focus shifts, our alignment changes, and before long, following Jesus feels harder than it should. We’re still moving forward, but it takes more effort, more energy, and more correction than expected.

That kind of misalignment often has less to do with our beliefs and more to do with our routines, cycles, and habits. While those words sound similar, they aren’t the same—and if we want real renewal, we have to be honest about all three.

Conforming or Transforming

Paul writes in Romans 12:2 that we are not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. That statement forces a question: What are we actually conforming to?

God’s way and the world’s way are not the same. Yet it’s possible to believe in God while still modeling our lives after the world’s patterns. Conforming means shaping our lives after something. Transforming means becoming something entirely new—like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.

Transformation isn’t just about behavior modification. It’s about a change of form.

First John 1:7 gives us clarity: if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with God, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. That cleansing isn’t automatic or passive. It’s for those willing to walk in the light, those willing to walk in change. This is less about covering sin and more about curing it.

And often, the hardest part of that walk comes down to our routines, cycles, and habits.

Routines: What We Choose on Purpose

Routines require intention. They don’t happen accidentally. Daniel prayed three times a day, not out of convenience, but because it was a priority. Jesus routinely withdrew early in the morning to pray. Even the early church devoted itself daily to teaching, fellowship, prayer, and breaking bread.

These weren’t random moments. They were planned rhythms that created space for God. Renewal often begins by asking a simple question: What routines am I intentionally choosing, and what routines have I neglected?

Cycles: Patterns That Repeat

Cycles are predictable. Days turn into weeks, seasons come and go, and life has a rhythm to it. Spiritually, we see cycles throughout Scripture. Israel moved through sin, exile, repentance, and restoration. The book of Judges shows repeated cycles of disobedience followed by deliverance. Even the phrase “fear not” appears again and again, reminding us how often we return to the same struggles.

We usually talk about cycles like something we’re desperate to escape: “I’m tired of this.” “When is this going to change?” While cycles can be broken, they are often where God teaches us the most.

Habits: What Happens Automatically

Habits go even deeper. They are automatic, often unnoticed, and over time, they shape our character. Jesus said we are known by our fruit, and fruit reveals habit. Paul openly shared his frustration in Romans 7. He desires to do what is right but struggling with patterns that pulled him back.

Some habits formed before Christ linger after salvation, but Romans 8 reminds us that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and empowers real change.

Habits reveal what we treasure. To treasure something is to hide it, protect it, and guard it. And that’s where the warning comes in—hidden sin is treasured sin. Renewal requires exposure. When sin is brought into the light, it loses its power.

Moving Forward

Belief alone isn’t enough. There can be truth without transformation if the Spirit is missing. Scripture calls us to put off the old self and be renewed in the spirit of our minds.

In the coming weeks, we’ll begin addressing our habits—starting with emotional habits—trusting that God doesn’t just want to improve our behavior but renew our lives from the inside out.

Renewal begins with where we look, what we choose, and what we allow God to change.

Reflection Questions

1. Where have you noticed your focus drifting lately, and how has that affected your alignment with God?

2. Are there routines in your life that once helped you grow spiritually but have slowly faded or become inconsistent?

3. What cycles—spiritual, emotional, or relational—seem to repeat in your life, and what might God be trying to teach you through them?

4. Which habits currently shape your character the most whether for better or for worse?

5. Is there anything you’ve been hiding that God is inviting you to bring into the light so true renewal can begin?

6. As you think about the coming weeks, what is one area where you’re asking the Holy Spirit to bring real transformation rather than surface-level change?