The World of Habits

For I know that in me (that is, in
my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
for to will is present with me;
but how to perform that which is
good I find not.
Romans 7:18

I had two things going for me when I was at the ripe old age of three. I'm sure it had been going on prior to that but age three is the first I recall one of my first habits...my blanket. Today they are known as “blankies.” Have you seen those things you can buy in any baby department? They look like miniature satin trimmed blankets with a stuffed animal's head in the middle. They come in different colors with different animals. My blanket (my mother would never have used the word “blankie”) was soft with a satin trim. I hated when my mother washed it cause that took out some of the “aging process” I had put into it. I wasn't allowed to carry it around...could only have it when in my bed.

The second thing I had going for me was my right thumb. I don't know how long I had sucked my thumb but I do know that by the age of four, I had a huge callous on it. My mother did everything she could to keep me from sucking my thumb. She put all sorts of liquid stuff on my thumb that stunk and tasted bad. I would gradually lick it off, little by little to where my thumb was finally ready for proper use. Mother even bought a thumb cage...a metal bird cage looking contraption that got tied to my hand. That's when I learned how agile my joints were and always managed to escape the cage.

We probably started life with habits. Some habits were necessary such as eating, having a diaper changed with some spoiling along the way. There were things we had to have...a favorite stuffed animal for instance. Those things were harmless and a part of building a certain amount of security in us.

Habits aren't necessarily bad but we usually think of them being negative. A habit is something that is done on a regular basis but that is very hard to give up. In this area, we usually think of drug addictions, eating disorder, alcoholism.

Although we think of bad habits, there are habits people have established that are good ones. We are encouraged to have good eating habits, choosing to eat and drink those things that are good for our bodies. We taught our children the wash hands before a meal. There's nothing wrong with that habit. Other good habits might include: physical check ups, being prompt, doing laundry on Monday (private joke), paying one's bills, etc.

We can feel with Paul when he expressed how desperately he wanted to do the right thing, but his inner self spoke louder and so he felt he was always at war with the flesh and spirit in his life. In the rest of Romans 7, we can read about Paul's struggle that is our struggle as well and how it is Jesus Christ who gives the victory.

What do we do about negative habits that might be a part of our lives?

• Recognize a bad habit, name it and confess it.
  Folks will say you have to have lots of counseling etc. Remember my sucking my thumb? It has been a lesson in my own life I have never forgotten. When I was around the age of four, I remember the day I was sitting on our big stuffed couch, sucking my thumb. I remember like it was yesterday, that I suddenly looked at my thumb and said to myself in so many kid words, “Enough of this” and I never put that thumb (or the other one) in my mouth again. Talk about cold turkey. I still remember to this day as I think of that moment on the couch, that even today, there's no habit that can have a death grip on my life unless I allow it.
  
  Recognize God's interest and available help in our overcoming...involve Him in the process. Don't just recognize God's interest but call on Him to help you.
  
  Don't set yourself up for failure.If I have the habit of eating a package of Oreo cookies every day, it would be wise when I go to the grocery story to avoid the cookie section.
  
  Get a realistic view of sin and how some bad habits can foster it.Most of us can remember days when right and wrong had very clear boundaries. Things were black and white with not having to think about things being gray. Satan has blurred the boundaries so we have extra discerning
  .When we kick the bad habits away, we need to replace them with good ones.
  
  Make friends with others who we know strive to do the right things.
  
  Every bad habit will somehow develop in the brain.We need to nurture our minds with thoughts that are beneficial and godly.
  Philippians 4:8 tells the things we are to think on. God will empower us to think His thoughts.

There isn't a habit we can “lick” on our own. Anything we seek to do that is going to help us to be more godly, will have to be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Any other way will only lead us to a lot of frustration. Whatever the habit we feel doesn't honor God, we need to give it to Him and rely on His strength (and not our own) to be an overcomer for His honor and glory.

Dear Father, I'm so grateful that You are interested in every facet of my life. Your Word says that You stand ready to be my everything. Your desire is that I always do the right things. Help that to be so in my life. In Jesus' precious name....Amen