Failure in Breaking A Bad Habit

"If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. 
What we call failure is not the falling down, 
but the staying down."

Have you ever vowed to put an ungodly habit behind you, only to fall again soon after? Feelings of guilt can lead to a renewed commitment to never do something again. But the very next day, the cycle repeats itself as we give in to the same temptations. Our defeat leaves us wondering, What’s wrong with me? Our despair at repeated failure produces a sense of hopeless resignation and confusion. We want to know, Lord, why can’t I change? All of us have experienced the problem of wanting to honor God and yet reverting back to old, sinful ways almost immediately. Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be more liberating and victorious than this? Why then, does habitual sin take hold of us? Wasn’t Christ supposed to change all this? If we are new creations, why do we still act like old ones? We feel as stuck as a ship run aground.  

Examine the way change occurs in the Christian life. Salvation is an instantaneous work of God, which happens the moment we receive Jesus as our Savior. But from that point on, we enter a continual process of transformation called sanctification. The Lord’s goal is to mold us into the image of Christ, but this process requires our cooperation. That’s what the Bible means when it says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). If we neglect this responsibility, we’ll find ourselves struggling with the same issues over and over again. But if we submit to the Holy Spirit, He’ll exert His influence in every area of our lives. Old sinful habits will pass away and be replaced with new Godly behavior.  Becoming the people God created us to be is an inside-out process. Because our thoughts govern each area of our lives—emotions, decisions, actions, attitudes, and words—any lasting transformation must begin with the mind. If all we want is to modify our conduct, we’ll never experience long-term success. What we need is a new way of thinking.  At the moment of salvation, the Lord doesn’t erase all our negative and sinful thought patterns any more than He automatically removes our physical imperfections.  The good news is that whatever our thoughts have been in the past, God can teach us to think differently. He gives His Spirit to lead us through a process that produces real healing and lasting change.

Have you ever been thinking about some plan or task, only to have a vile, ungodly idea pop into your mind? You may wonder, where did that come from? These are satan’s attempts to distract us with his ideas and twist the truth, inciting us to disobey God. his purpose is to destroy our character and lead us astray.  The way we respond determines whether we fall to his enticements or stand strong against him. Will we allow our minds to be transformed by these things? Or will we take the bait?  We cannot coast through the Christian life. An unengaged mind is an open invitation for sin. If we’re distracted, having trouble praying or reading the Bible, our thoughts are not where they should be.  Perhaps you feel as if you’re the rope in a tug of war between God and sin, constantly being pulled in two opposing directions. No need to beat ourselves up when we fail, confess and repent as quickly as possible. During those times we need to remember that we are engaged in a long process and we cannot renew our own mind. Trying harder and making promises to God will only be discouraging, because in our own strength, we will never be able to change. True transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit—and it takes time.  We need to submit to His leading, heed His warnings, and obey His voice.

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

Richard