Written By: Dr. Nancy Meyer

Why do we do the things we do? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself that?

There’s an old story about a woman who always cut the ends off her ham before putting it in the oven. When her husband asked why, she said, “That’s how my mom always did it.” Curious, he asked her mother, who gave the same response. Finally, they asked Grandma, who laughed and said, “Oh, I cut the ends off because my oven was too small!”

For generations, they followed a habit without knowing why.

How often do we do the same?

We move through life on autopilot—repeating patterns, following routines, never questioning whether they serve us. We take the same route home. We structure our days the same way. We settle into comfort. But comfort doesn’t always mean growth.

I once asked a young husband what his greatest fear was. It wasn’t failure or hardship. He said, “I’m afraid of getting stuck in a routine so much that I forget to actually live.”

Wow. That hit me.

How many of us are just going through the motions? Stuck in routines that keep us from stepping into the fullness of life God has for us?

We meticulously plan our days but leave no room for God’s guidance. We resist change because it feels uncertain. But what if breaking free from routine is exactly what we need?

Don’t let routine replace faith. Don’t plan so much that you plan God out of your life.

God is calling us out of our comfort zones—to try something new, take a leap of faith, and trust His direction. It’s time to break free.

Defying Fear Verse

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" Isaiah 43:19

Defying Fear Principle

Routine brings comfort, but change brings growth.

What routine is God nudging you to break? What new path is He calling you to take? Don’t be afraid to embrace it—because beyond routine is where growth, adventure, and purpose begin.