From Habits to Happiness [Spirituality & Religion]

Addictions don't own you. We are not slaves to the sin of addiction. We must remember who we are, and where God brought us from...out of the slavery of sin, to be victorious through Christ. I had to remind myself of this recently: Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. There's nothing too hard for God, and when we put our trust in Him for strength, nothing is too hard for us either. We must shake off the slave mentality. We are free in Christ, no longer slaves to sin, so put on the armor of God and face the enemy with confidence!

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. The way you act is determined by your attitudes and intentions. People and circumstances may influence you, but you do not have to give in. You make your own choices. (Matt. 15:18,19; 12:34-37).

Philippians 4:13 - We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. If we trust our own strength, we will fail. Satan can defeat us. If we use Christ's strength, we will succeed, because Satan can never defeat Him. Perhaps we have failed in the past, because we have trusted our own power instead of using Christ's. I've been guilty of this! That's why I must train myself to exercise discipline, resist temptation, and substitute good habits, for bad ones.

People sometimes convince themselves, "I just can't change. It's too late. Besides, I'm only human." They are not just belittling themselves; they are denying God's word. They will fail, simply because they will give up, instead of persisting to use God's power.

Psalm 37:5 - If you commit yourself to the Lord and trust Him, He will accomplish His will for you. No matter how strong a temptation you face, no matter how long you have practiced a sin, if God says to change, you can change. (Eph. 6:10-18; 3:20,21; 2 Cor. 9:8; Josh. 1:5-9.) Easier said than done, true, but through Christ, we are more than conquerors!

To succeed in God's work, meditate on God's word. List the Bible passages relevant to each habit you need to change. List reasons why you should change. Meditate on these verses daily, filling your mind with them. (Psalm 1:2; 119:11.)

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - Frequently remind yourself of these verses. Write them and place them where they will remind you: on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator door, on your table at mealtime, on the TV knob.

Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus overcame temptation by quoting Scripture. But this worked only because He knew the Scripture. Memorize verses about your habit, so that when you are tempted, they will come to mind and strengthen you. Quote them to yourself or outloud. (Prov. 3:5,6; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 1:16; Heb. 4:12.)

Read your bible for strength of spirit and mind. "He whose mind is stayed on Thee, shall live in perfect peace." Isaiah 26:3.

To change your life, you need a specific, practical checklist of steps you will take to change. Analyze the circumstances or causes that lead you to fail to do right, then plan how to avoid those causes. It may help to write your plan down and modify it as needed. This plan will include some specific points to study, plus other points that fit your specific problem. People didn't set out to plan to fail, but they failed to plan!

Keep a diary or notebook of your success. This will encourage you keep on, until you reach your goal. Start slow, but be consistent. Everything you do, counts! Including praying for success. Friends and family can pray for you, too.

Jesus didn't just say we are conquerors in Him. He said we are MORE than conquerers in Him. Can you practice what is right today - just today? Of course you can. So when you get up each morning, promise yourself and God, "I will live today for God." Don't worry about handling tomorrow. If it comes, you can handle it the same way you will handle today.

By using the means God provides, you can change for the better. He gives motivation, guidance, and encouragement. All that is left, is for you to determine to follow His will and then diligently act on that decision. He provides the tools. All you have to do, is use them.

Two men were climbing a steep path up a tall mountain. One looked to the top and asked, "How will we ever make it?" The other replied, "One step at a time." And that is the only way for you to change yourself. I wish you the best. May God bless your journey with success, in all you do.