I've been thinking about good and bad habits and what it takes to overcome a bad one.
I think it's helpful first to know your why?
What do you want to give up and break free from?
Why do you want to remove this thing from your life?
What is it costing you?
What will you gain from no longer having it part of your life?
What good habits do you have that you can be thankful for and desire to make more room in your life to grow stronger in?
When you know your why it is much easier to formulate a plan, strategize and implement some action steps to overcome that bad habit for good.
Another key to moving past certain bad habits in our life is being very intentional in seeing the victory and where you are going, rather than what you are losing and giving up.
There is a story in the bible about King Jeroboam, who had suffered at the hands of his enemies so much that all he could see was defeat and chaos when he looked out at his surroundings. It had probably become a habit of the King to see defeat, death and hopelessness.
However, one day Elisha, the prophet of God, was called to see him. Through his prophetic actions, Elisha encouraged King Jeroboam to fire an arrow out of his window over his fallen army to the open horizon.
"Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the King of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the King's hands.
"Open the east window," he said, and he opened it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared." (2 Kings 13:15-18)
Elisha was wanting King Jeroboam to stop looking at defeat and the threat of the enemy and to point his gaze, like his arrow, over his past defeats to victory and an understanding that he and his countryman were not alone because God was with them.
God says the same to us. Regardless of our past defeats, disappointments, bad behaviour or habits, he says, Don't be afraid or discouraged for, "With me, you have the victory and to stop looking at your defeats and mess, and fire your hope and expectation over the battlefield to where I am taking you into victory.
Today I encourage you to see what habits you are benefiting from in your life and which ones you aren't. Then determine to be purposeful in focusing on your good habits, growing in them, and removing the bad habits or the lurking residue of past hurts and disappointments.
Determine to look to your future rather than any defeat or struggle.
Remind yourself how much you will gain from being free from that particular habit or past issue.
Focus on your victory and all that you will gain.
Make a plan and strategize some action steps.
Actively form some good habits - soon, there will be no more room for the bad ones in your life.
Take one day at a time.
Pray and ask Jesus to give you strength and vision, heal your hurts, and remind you who you are in Him.
You can do it.
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Let's take a look at what it means to dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
Lord: thank you for your victory and that I can overcome any bad habit or hurt from my past with you. Please give me wisdom and strategies to walk out of my freedom so that I can move forward today. In Jesus' name Amen.
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