If you found yourself in a pit, would you start to dig if you knew there was just one way out? That insane action would only make the pit deeper. Still, this is what many do when they live comfortably with bad habits. Our habits either break us or build us. They either take us to the peak or leave us in the pit. There is no in between. Habits are not formed in a day. Hence, they cannot be changed in the same time frame.
In forming habits, our will, that is, our power to make decisions have a huge part to play. Cigarettes do not find themselves in a smoker’s mouth. It starts with one stick on a certain day, whether thought out by the smoker or incited by an external influence. With time, one stick increases to 2, 3 and a while after, the smoker sees no issue smoking a pack of cigarette per day. Here in Texas, the average price of a pack of cigarette is about 7 U.S dollars. It’s as good as lighting up 7 U.S dollars to one’s undoing. Let’s not talk about the more expensive addictive substances ingested by people around the world. It’s heartbreaking to see people put themselves in such turmoil all in the name of pleasure. Pornography, masturbation, overeating and oversleeping are just a few mentioned bad habits. The above mentioned acts might give one pleasure. Still, the repercussions are the complete opposite of the pleasures.
Some people find false comfort in their bad habits, in their pit. They keep digging and digging until they are drowned in it. That does not have to be you and me. It really doesn’t. Do you have a bad habit you are currently living with? Do you feel comfortable with it because you think you are not the only one engaging in such act? Dear One, it’s time to act fast. It’s time to do the right thing. It’s time to get help. Trust me – a lot of people are getting help. Do not be left in the mess. Permit me to be truthful. Your glorious future is worth way more than the beds of different men and/or women. You have no business having sexual intercourse with the one who you are not espoused to. Your belly isn’t your god. You need food to live. You ought not to live for eating only. Consuming anywhere, anytime, at any cost is very costly to one’s health. Be wise.
You know- it’s one thing to talk about problems. It’s a totally different thing to provide solutions to the problems being talked about. Question is – what actions can we take to dispel bad habits?
GETTING OUT OF THE PIT
- Be willing: Your willingness to leave the pit is a primary necessity. Until you desire to see positive changes and are willing to take the right steps to see the changes, little or nothing will change for, in or around you.
- Think: How did you start that habit? What led you to the decision of picking up the habit? Did anyone incite you to start it? Asking yourself these questions helps you to find the root cause of where it all began. To fell a tree, you have to be aware of its root.
- Seek for help: You’ve thought about how it all started. The next thing is to prayerfully ask for help. Confide in someone. There are individuals who have successfully dealt with what you currently go through. There are organizations that specialize in helping individuals get over their unhealthy addictions. It all takes a search, a prayerful search. The fact you have addictions doesn’t mean God will turn His back on you. He’s more eager to see you helped than you are.
- Endure the process: Besides being willing to see changes and prayerfully seeking for help, there is need for you endure the process. The changes you desire will not take place overnight. It’ll take your time and commitment. It might require you to leave some friendships and locations. Do not be weary. Freedom from addictions is worth every work done to see positive results.
- Fill the void: As one works to see that the bad habits are dispelled, there is need to replace the vacuum created by the bad habit with at least one good habit. Remember- nature abhors vacuum. Start something new. Volunteer at retreats. Go for fellowships. Engage in a positive activity. Most importantly, develop your relationship with God. Spend more time with Him in worship. Study His word. Through the art of prayer, ask Him for grace to strengthen your weak areas and grace to stay away from anything that will cause you to return to your bad habits.
You or anyone you know can live far above bad habits. We all can. We are not slaves to sin. We are children of God. It’s high time we walk in the consciousness of the price Jesus paid for us on the cross of Calvary. We are too priceless to sell ourselves cheap to the controlling powers of addictions. Nevertheless, I recommend one addiction – God’s Word! God’s Word is one addiction you need to deal with all addictions!
Beloved, you have chosen the right path. Thank you for coming on here to read this God-inspired post. I pray this will yield testimonies in your life and in the lives of those who shall read this post in the future through you.
Till I write to you next time.
With Selfless Love,
