How does spiritual transformation actually happen? Is it one dramatic moment, or is it something else entirely?

Welcome back to our "Holy Habits" devotional series. In this video, Pastor Mike continues our exploration of the spiritual practices that position us for God to do His transforming work. And to illustrate this, he turns to one of literature's most unlikely heroes: Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings.

In this devotion, we discover:

• The difference between behavior modification (trying harder) and true spiritual transformation (being changed by God).
• How Samwise, a simple gardener with no ambition for glory, becomes a person of noble character—not through one heroic act, but through thousands of small, faithful choices.
• The powerful moment when Sam realizes he can't carry Frodo's burden, but he can carry Frodo himself.
• A reminder from C.S. Lewis that every choice we make "turns the central part of you into a little different thing than it was before."

Transformation isn't about dramatic, overnight change. It's about the quiet accumulation of small steps in the right direction—choosing faithfulness, loyalty, and love, one decision at a time. This is what spiritual habits are for: they train us to make those small, right choices so that, over time, God shapes us into who He created us to be.

What small choice can you make today that will steer you toward God?

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