The Small Things Are Forming You
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that coffee has become one of the most consistent parts of my daily rhythm. I know that’s a very millennial sentence, but stay with me.
When I wake up, coffee is already on my mind. After I get ready, I head downstairs and pour my cold brew. It’s not just caffeine, but it’s the dopamine hit of the first sip that I crave. It seems silly, but something about it has become ingrained in me.
I noticed this last week. I had to do some blood work that required fasting, and my morning felt so different. It felt as if I forgot something important and was scrambling as a result. My whole day felt a little off.
In the moment, this routine feels like such a small thing. But lately, I’ve started to realize it’s not actually that small. Our routines do not just take up our time. They form us. We tend to think of formation through the lens of big, defining moments. And they do have an impact on us. However, your life is shaped more by your daily rhythms than your big moments.
“Formation” might sound like a trendy or abstract idea, but the reality is simple: we are all being formed. More importantly, we are all formed by something.
I’ll prove it to you. How many times do you take out your phone in a day? 20? 50? While numbers vary, studies show that the average person checks their phone “just because” over 100 times per day, roughly every 5-10 waking minutes. We don’t check our phones that often because we need to. We check them because we’ve been formed to.
Whether intentional or not, our lives are formed by our rhythms and routines. And the truth is, most of those rhythms weren’t chosen intentionally.
They are not just the things that get us through the day or get us out of the house on time.
They do not just support our lives.
They set the pace.
They direct our attention.
They quietly form who we are becoming.
James Clear once said, “every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” So much of our lives are dictated by efficiency, speed, and convenience. Look, I’m all for speed and productivity, but we also need to know what that does to our souls. Because over time, our rapid pace starts to feel normal, but normal doesn’t always mean healthy.
If our lives are already being shaped by our routines, the real question becomes: what kind of life are those routines forming us into?
In his book Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer writes that if we want to be formed by Jesus, we have to do things His way. Jesus didn’t live at the pace of urgency. He lived at the pace of attention to God. His life wasn’t driven by efficiency, but by obedience.
The question we must ask ourselves is this: What are my daily rhythms forming in me? Are they forming presence or distraction? Peace or hurry? Attention to God or constant noise? Because whether we realize it or not, something is always shaping us. The only question is whether we’re paying attention. As Comer reminds us,
“For those of us who desire to follow Jesus, here is the reality we must turn and face: If we’re not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it’s highly likely we are being unintentionally formed by someone or something else.”
I am not suggesting that you overhaul your entire life and rhythms. I am DEFINITELY not suggesting that any of us give up coffee. I am simply inviting you to pay attention to your rhythms and routines. Even something as simple as your morning coffee is forming you.
So notice the small things.
They’re not just holding your life together.
They’re forming you.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.
Philip