Life Is Habit Forming

You all have heard the phrase "You are what you eat." When I was a small child, I didn't understand what that meant. As all children do, I took it literally. How could I, or anyone for that matter, become a chocolate doughnut? It seemed ridiculous, and I didn't understand what adults meant when they said it. As an adult, with a more abstract view on life, I have come to understand that if you don't eat healthy then you won't be healthy. If all I ate was chocolate doughnuts then I would be overweight and unhealthy. I guess I would kind of take the shape of a doughnut, but I wouldn't become one.

Just as you become what you eat, your habits form who you are. Your habits form your present, they predict your future. Before the beginning of Lent, I challenged the teens in my youth group to give up one of their bad habits during Lent. Prior to the meeting, I had no intention of discussing this with the teens. I wasn't even going to talk about Lent. I was going in a different direction. But at the last minute, I felt that I needed to add more to my meeting to fill up time. So I threw in a discussion on Lent at the end of the meeting. And, as a part of that discussion, I suggested they give up a bad habit during Lent.

The Holy Spirit must have been at work, because I've encountered the subject of habits several times since that meeting. This has made me reflect on the habits I have in my life. Yes, I do have some good habits. I read every day, and much of that reading is spiritual in nature. I may not make it into Church every day to spend time in silence with the Lord, but I do pray every day. I've also got some bad habits. I won't air my dirty laundry to the world, but my bad habits center around laziness and allowing myself to be too easily distracted with unnecessary leisure pursuits. I'm beginning to see that those bad habits that I have are in direct opposition to and compete with the good habits I have. Oftentimes, those bad habits win out. My laziness and distracted mind keeps me from spending the time I should be spending reading and praying.

I do notice a difference in my attitude based on which habits win the battle in my mind. If I allow the bad habits to win the battle, then I'm impatient and unsettled. I have no peace in my life. I am, oftentimes, filled with guilt in doing that which I should not do. Yet, as they are habits, I keep doing them. When I am successful in pushing the bad habits aside and take the time to spend with the Lord in spiritual reading and quiet reflection, then I have peace. I feel much better about myself and my life. I am a happier person when my good habits prevail.

I am going to spend this Lent, and beyond, changing my habits, one at a time. I am going to rid myself of my bad habits, and I am going to replace them with good habits. I like the way I feel when I have good habits. I want to keep feeling that way. I want a happy, peaceful present. I want a happy, peaceful, future. And I am going to start with asking the question, with every decision I make, "God, what do you think I should do?"