Many people mine for gold. Only a few find it. We can learn a lot from those few.
Expert miners keep digging. They develop expertise at finding gold. They develop great skill in knowing what is working, even though they have not quite hit the motherload yet.
Our digging is working daily on new habits. Today’s habit is to think often about planning what you will do when triggers ramp up. Consider praying constantly:
“Father, I will _______ when triggers and temptations get strong.”
Try to fill in the blank with 3-5 things that you will do. Things like turning, replacing tempting thoughts with new thoughts, fleeing, healthy activities, calling a friend.
If you have a severe habit, quitting involves a drying out period. These replacements for your temptation are your “work.” Always think of them as work. If you put in the work, you are making progress toward quitting. Next, think of these replacements as your gift to God. He is pleased that you are working to do things His way. The Bible says to give a “Sacrifice of praise.” Any healthy thing you put in that blank is your sacrifice to God. Just like the expert gold miner who found nothing all day. He knows he is making progress because he is digging in the right place.
If you always try to develop the habit of constantly praying/thinking/planning about what you will do in tough situations, you are starting to develop a skill that will give you power over your habit.
Second, someone reading this is hopelessly mired in their habit. But what if they pray this prayer 1000 times this week. What if they think about their replacements constantly. What if they make doing this a long-term habit? What if they combine this habit with a war on sin?
There is a song called freedom. If you put in the work/prayer, that is what you will find.
As always, feel free to print this out for your personal use.
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