Habits

What happens when your life is full of bad habits? When you don't exercise like you say that you will, when you don't make time to read the Bible, and when discipline is about as popular at your house as the Miami Heat. Yes, good habits can be hard to form, but they are always worth it.

Here's the thing, to form a great habit you have to repeat an action over and over. I didn't love Spinach salads, really ever, but once I started having it over and over for dinner, and I knew that it was healthier for me than lettuce, I made it a habit. We bought spinach instead of lettuce at the store, and over time, I actually grew to not only like Spinach, but CRAVE it. I don't really love lettuce anymore. Weird? Not really. It was a repeated action that turned into a habit and is now a lifestyle.

I can say the same for Scripture. I didn't always enjoy reading the Bible. As a kid, I thought many parts of the Bible were boring and for adults. Now, after making it a part of my daily life and memorizing verses, I don't see how life can be lived without it. I know that I need it every day to maintain a healthy attitude, and to know the how and why behind God's soft gentle whispers. How will I know if what I think I am hearing from God is really him? How will I know if what I'm doing is God's will? If I don't know what God says, I can easily be swayed by Satan's voice, so I had to know God's word.  I had to make it a habit.

"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119: 11

No one is perfect. We all have habits we need to break or ones we need to form. Be a better you. Stop making excuses and decide on one habit you can change. Just one. And do it. Know your reason, repeat the action over and over, and pretty soon you'll be rockin a new habit. :)

So what about me? Well after this morning's 1 hour clean-my-room extravaganza, I've decided that I'm going to keep my clothes organized. It's a bad habit of mine to throw clothes all over my dresser, despite my otherwise picked up house, but I'm going to put them away each and every time I get them out, and clean out my closet twice a year to take old things to Goodwill. Just like that, I'm going to form a new habit. Seems like one more thing to do, but it's going to improve my quality of life.

Keep your car picked up.
Call your mom once a week.
Read your Bible.
Finish 1 book a month.
Meet with an accountability partner.
Take a regular date night.
Run a 5K, run a 10K, run a half marathon? Bet you can!

Start with something easy...anything, and improve your life! Don't tell me you can't, I know you can!