If we want to change a habit, we need to take on new behaviours, thoughts, relationships, and a willingness to do battle with old ways of thinking. Continuing with the same old habit is easy. A long-standing habit won’t give up without a fight, so change is hard work. We need a strong relationship with God to see it through. When God’s people entered the Promised Land, He told them to ‘utterly destroy’ their enemies; otherwise, their enemies would eventually destroy them. So when God tells us it’s time to declare war on our bad habits, we mustn’t try to justify them by saying, ‘Everybody does it,’ or ‘It’s not a big problem really.’ Anything that keeps us trapped and stops us enjoying the freedom Jesus bought for us at the cross is a very big problem. So instead of resisting or making excuses, let’s pray, ‘Lord, show me the root of this problem and how to deal with it. I’m ready for positive change in my life today.’

Have you ever noticed that when you’ve had a mountaintop experience with God, the devil is waiting for you at the bottom of the mountain? After their experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus’ disciples were approached by a man whose son was caught in a harmful cycle where ‘frequently he [fell] into the fire and…water’ (Matthew 17:15 AMPC). Whenever we find ourselves falling into the same traps, making the same mistakes, jumping into the same hurtful relationships, getting hooked on the same habits, it’s time to take our problem to Jesus and ask for His help to conquer it. And He definitely will!

What Now?

We often think about dealing with big problems, so today, let’s think about some of the small, troublesome habits we pick up. Choose one to start with, and ask God to help you overcome it by showing you the steps to take. As you work on conquering it, keep a journal of your progress, if it helps.