Habits - Good & Bad

Are bad habits keeping you from reaching your goals?  I suppose even some good habits or routines can keep you from working toward your goals because your time is being consumed by other tasks and activities.  But – a goal is a goal, and anything that keeps you from working toward your goal should be identified and tackled.

I recently went to a work-at-home status.  I love it!  I stick to a daily routine that helps me to control my work day and separate my work life from my home life.  I am so happy and relieved that I made the effort to establish a good routine right from the start.  I don’t even need to think about it; it simply is my routine.

But, with my new daily routine, I am experiencing an impact to my personal goals.  Here are my challenges…

1.  I previously used my daily commute time to memorize Bible verses.  For 2017, my goal is to memorize one verse per week.  Since I no longer drive to and from work, my daily memorization has dwindled to zero.

2.  I have increased my snacking.  My daily “healthy eating” goal has been completely disrupted by being home and facing a constant urge to snack.  Some of my friends who work from home warned me that snacking is a problem and must be dealt with immediately before the bad habit sets in.  I should have listened to them!

3.  I had planned to join a nearby gym and work out over my lunch hour every day.  Guess what?  I haven’t joined a gym yet.  I had great intentions, but I kept putting it off.  In fact, my daily exercising has disappeared because I did not fit it into my new routine.

Oh, how easy it is for habits to develop and find a comfortable place in our daily routine! 

Sometimes, we hardly even recognize bad habits or choices until we stop and make the effort to identify them and intentionally replace them with something positive and good.  In my experience, a good habit can be developed just as easily as a bad one.  It is a choice.  And we have the power to make that choice in our lives!

So, for each bad habit or neglected goal that I mentioned above, I am working on a good choice or habit to replace it.  I prayed for wisdom and guidance from God, and He gave me clarity on my snacking struggle.  I neglect to eat regular meals, I keep too many snacks in the house, and I sometimes work at the kitchen table - way too close to the fridge!  I have two choices... continue with the bad habit or make a change.

I think I'll make a change.

If you do an inventory of your habits and decide to make a change, you just may move your life in a different direction!  Pray about it and seek God's help and guidance and wisdom, one habit at a time.

Devotion

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Prayer:

Lord, I ask you to help me turn bad habits into good ones.  Help me to recognize where I need to change.  I ask for wisdom to know what the good choices are, and the strength to make those good choices for my life.  Renew my mind each day and help me to conform my will to your good and perfect will.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

© 2017 Linda Lijewski