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Bad Habits

Psalms 119:1, NIV, “How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the Lord’s instructions!”

Bad habits are hard to break. Good habits are hard to form. Procrastinating is one bad habit I have that I just struggle to overcome. It is so easy to put things off that I really don’t want to do or fool myself into thinking I have plenty of time. One of the worst habits I once had was the crutch of a popular diet soft drink.

My Habit

Psalms 119:37, NIV, “Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless”

Diet Coke, ahhh! The sound of the pop top, the fizz when it opened and that first swig of carbonated goodness. Oh my! Beginning first thing in the morning, I would sip out of my can and enjoy two or three more during the day. My habit was so consuming that when I stopped for a drink at a convenience store, I would check the date. If it was out of date, I would keep stopping until I found one in date.

Breaking the Bad Habit

Psalms 119:25, NIV, “My life is down in the dust; give me life through Your word.”

As time went by, I began feeling guilty about the obsession. News began flooding the media feed about the negative effects of diet drinks. I realized not only did I have a strong desire for the drink, but it was a crutch in times of frustration or sadness. I turned to the Coke einstead of turning to God. That bad habit needed to go away in my life. It seemed the Lord was saying to me to stop. I ignored that inner voice for awhile. Then I realized I had a problem and needed to stop. Breaking the bad habit was so difficult and it took me 8 years to reach a point in my life that I was not driven by the strong desire to purchase a diet drink. That seems absurd, I know, but the truth.

Develop Good Habits

Psalms 119:59, NIV, “I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to a your decrees.”

In the reverse, it takes time and mental toughness to develop good habits. To name a few; exercise, eating green vegetables and drinking lots of water. One habit that is essential in living a life of peace, joy and kindness is the habit of Bible reading and prayer. For me, when I began trying to be diligent in reading my Bible, it was more of a feeling that I had to do it. God expected it. A feeling of guilt ensued if I didn’t. Many days I would read God’s word and nothing. No words of wisdom came to my mind, no feelings that God was there, just an inner thought that maybe I was wasting my time.

A Daily Practice

Psalms 119:10, NIV, “I have sought You with all my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands.”

Thankfully, I continued to read God’s word and study. It became a daily practice and developed into a habit. My ears began to hear the still, small voice of God. Some days there were tears of joy as God showed me things through His word. The peace that He gave and continues to give within even though there may have been problems in my life.

God Speaks Through His Word

Psalms 119:16, NIV, “I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.”

The habit of reading God’s word and prayer began slowly. Only a few minutes were spent in my quiet time. As I said I struggled at first to see any change or significance it had for my life. As I persisted in developing this as a daily habit, God began to reveal to me things in His word that made the Bible come to life. He began to ‘speak’ to me through His word. I realized they were true words of God and I could rely on His promises in my life.

Good Habit

Psalms 119:105, NIV, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.”

Procrastination is still a bad habit and that is true in my Bible study time some days. My desire to learn from God’s word is becoming more important than anything else I need to do in the morning. I’m still a work in progress and I hope this post inspires you to be more diligent in spending time with God. It is a good habit with many benefits. God loves us and time spent with Him is for our benefit.

Paula Wallace

Disclaimer: This post is in no way intended to make anyone feel guilt regarding the habit of soft drinks or anything else. It is solely an example of my struggles and hopefully to encourage a continual good habit in your life of Bible study and prayer.

Further Reading:

Let Me Think!!

https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2018/08/06/let-me-think/