Old Habits Die Hard
Sorry, this week's post is a little late. Guess you could say I have felt challenged lately. (Don't you just love it when that happens? Sometimes, God has to come up with unique ways to get our attention, I think.) It first started with an inner voice (not literally a voice, but the Holy Spirit's prompting), telling me that I've got to make some changes.
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Then, the speaker at a Bible Study I attended recently talked about taking a self-evaluation and making changes/getting rid of old habits that are hindering your spiritual life. The verses that the speaker used were...
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
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Then, the speaker at a Bible Study I attended recently talked about taking a self-evaluation and making changes/getting rid of old habits that are hindering your spiritual life. The verses that the speaker used were...
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
"And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. "
(Do you feel like this turtle sometimes? There are days that I do.)
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"For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
"For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
(I find this to be so true, as well as frustrating!! Don't you?)
"So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"(Rom. 7:14-25)
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"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
"Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things."
(I love this last part!)
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory,(Yes!!!) by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."
(Philippians 3:13-21)
Right after the Bible study, I read a post written by an inspirational blogger that I've been following lately...
Audrey (Botti) Roloff's Blog Page, called AujPoj
That name might sound familiar to some of you. Audrey recently married one of the twin Roloff brothers. The Roloffs have a reality show on TLC, call "Little People, Big World". Both Audrey and her husband, Jeremy are devoted Christians. Jeremy is a gifted photographer and Audrey is a motivational writer and fiery red-head! She wrote in a recent post about motivation and overcoming old habits and asks and discusses questions, like:
What are some of your goals for 2015?
How do you make your goals happen?
How do you make your goals happen?
How do you keep yourself accountable?
It seems like every year at this time of the season (between New Years and Easter), I find myself slacking in many areas of my life. My hubby and I were just talking about how the cold, dreary, winter weather seems to drag on forever. We eat all the wrong things, don't get enough exercise, and even find ourselves pushing and straining to crack open God's Word together. - I truly do think the physical and spiritual go hand in hand, when it comes to motivation.
So, here I am, thinking about what I'm going to do about it. I find that I have to reach deep down (or up, as it really is going to come from the Lord) and break those old winter weather habits. They definitely die hard, though. Do you find this to be your struggle...whether it is physical, spiritual, or any kind of lifestyle that is not healthy for us?
One thing I do know...they do die, if we give them to God!
I'm reminded of the Word given to us...
So, here I am, thinking about what I'm going to do about it. I find that I have to reach deep down (or up, as it really is going to come from the Lord) and break those old winter weather habits. They definitely die hard, though. Do you find this to be your struggle...whether it is physical, spiritual, or any kind of lifestyle that is not healthy for us?
One thing I do know...they do die, if we give them to God!
I'm reminded of the Word given to us...
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.(Phil. 4:13)
God is able to help us overcome and get rid of all this hinders us!
Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us...(Hebrews 12:1)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. (Eph. 3:20)
I love listening to Joni and Friends on the radio, too! I found an old recording from her show that shared some of her beautiful singing and how we do need to keep striving to cast off those old habits. i plan on doing that as soon as possible. I will keep you all updated on my plan of attack and how I'm doing.. Until then, enjoy her radio segment by clicking on the words below.
Old Habits Die Hard | Radio | Joni and Friends | Radio | Joni and Friends
Linking over to these blog hops:
Change is difficult and we must be honest and face truth instead of hiding behind it. Some habits are good, others need to be dropped in order to break it :-) Thank you for sharing your interesting post with us here at “Tell Me a Story."
ReplyDeleteI agree, Hazel. Good habits, like eating healthy and spending time in prayer every day are great habits to have. But, I think they usually are more difficult to keep alive. While bad habits, like eating sweets or to stop.being lazy can be easy to do and so difficult to stop, once they become a habit. But, I know once a bad habit is turned over into a good habit, we always benefit!!
DeleteChanging old habits into new habits can be so difficult. I also understand how winter can drag us away from all those things we know are good for us but the motivation is lacking. Thank goodness for God who will lead us through until we are doing what we should be doing. Thankful I'm your neighbor at The Weekend Brew today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! I am truly thankful for God's leading! I could never pull out of this slump, if it weren't for Him and His persistent love for me!!
DeleteHi Ann! All things are possible with God, right? I applaud your conviction to put away old habits and change the way you face each day (especially in winter! LOL) I agree - The physical has quite a lot to do with the spiritual. Often our physical conditions distract and disrupt our connection with the spiritual. But, we need to remember that God is bigger than all! Staying focused on Him, and doing things that help us stay focused is the thing do do! I find that after I go for a walk or get up off the couch and move about, I am less focused on what is affecting me at that moment and more likely to look to God.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joan