When I was younger, I knocked out my front teeth in a bike accident. I had seen the parked cars when I began my ride and would have sworn to anyone who asked that I was at least a half a block away from them. But I was completely unaware of how quickly I was moving toward the parked truck because I was sidetracked by a girls’ soccer game. Had I been more aware of my surroundings, I would have noticed the danger I was heading straight for.
The same is true spiritually.
We can get so sidetracked by our circumstances — and feelings of disappointment and frustration — that we lose track of how our own unhealthy mindsets and behaviors can hurt us. Habits form quickly, often without us realizing it, and soon they carry us into situations we never meant to be in. But transformation doesn’t come from trying harder and doing better. It comes through Spirit-empowered behaviors (and mindsets) that lead us away from destruction and into life.
Here are seven practical steps to breaking unhealthy habits and forming new Spirit-led ones:
- Recognize the habit. Growth begins with awareness. Name the pattern for what it is — not minimizing it, excusing it, or blaming others. Like the psalmist prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart… see if there is any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139.23-24).
- Pray and invite God into it. Many of our habits have become too strong for us to handle alone. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and strength: “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously” (James 1.5). He is eager to meet us in weakness.
- Find your trigger. Most habits are tied to a situation, place, or emotion. Are you tired? Lonely? Angry? Hungry? Are there people or places that spark the unhealthy behavior? As Proverbs warns, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly” (Proverbs 26.11). Awareness helps you avoid what keeps pulling you back.
- Replace it with truth. Habits don’t vanish just by stopping them. They’re replaced by something stronger. Scripture says, “Put away your former way of life… and clothe yourselves with the new self” (Ephesians 4.22-24). When the old pattern calls, fill the gap with Scripture (click here for our our Bible Tools study resources), put on worship music (click here for our worship playlist) (it’s difficult to do a lot of things when the soundtrack playing in the background includes “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”), or call or text a friend to share your struggle with them (see next step).
- Bring in community. You weren’t meant to fight this battle alone. “Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10.24-25). A trusted community can remind you of truth, encourage you when you stumble, and walk with you into freedom. Sometimes, they can even stand with you in faith when you feel like you don’t have any faith left to give.
- Persevere with grace. New habits don’t form overnight. You may (read: absolutely will) stumble, but stumbling is not the same as surrendering (giving up). “…for though a [righteous person] fall seven times, they will rise again…” (Proverbs 24.16). Freedom is a long obedience in the same direction.
- Celebrate (thank God for) the small wins. Real freedom doesn’t mean you’ll never face temptation again — it means you’re learning to notice it sooner and choose differently. Just like I should have paid attention to the truck in front of me, awareness is part of maturity. Every time you notice the temptation earlier, call it out, or take a new (sometimes imperceptively small and seemingly insignificant) step with the Spirit, that’s a HUGE victory. Thank God for this victory — no matter how small. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory…” (1 Corinthians 15.57).
This week, take a moment to pray: Holy Spirit, which specific unhealthy habit (or mindset) do You want to transform into a healthy one?
Highlight ONE of the mentioned steps above that I need to implement into my life today.
God bless,
Nathan
