“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to — the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” (Eph. 4:22-24)
God grows us one step at a time
Even though God could work a miracle and change us quickly, He usually works with us slowly and changes us gradually, a little bit at a time. That's how Jesus worked in developing the lives of His disciples and that's how God allowed the Israelites to take over the Promised Land “little by little” so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed (Deut. 7:22).
Both negative and positive habits develop slowly over time
You don't get out of shape instantly, physically or mentally, and you don't get into good shape instantly either. I realized this fact when my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic and must lose weight. It had taken me a long time to gain the weight and to lose it would also take time. So, I developed a plan that took a year and a half to lose 60 lbs. It was slow and the changes were in small increments. But I accomplished it.
Good character habits take time to develop
To develop the habits of Christlike character you must practice them over a longtime. Your character is the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind. Your habits define your character. There are no instant habits. Paul urged Timothy, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress.” (1 Tim. 4:15)
