Forming a Life

Little did he realize that when he took that first shot of vodka, he would be forming his future life.   He was simply out partying.  He wanted to have a good time.   Nothing wrong with that.  But 20 years later he is an alcoholic.  Drinking, cigarettes, and gambling are all known for their addictive qualities but let’s think about some other areas in which we develop bad habits and haven’t even given it a thought–

How about spending money?  You use a credit card for a purchase and think–“wow.  that was easy.”  And so you do it again.  And again.  Buying stuff you do not need.  Stuff you could live without.  But it is so easy.  And then the bill comes and there is that momentary feeling of uneasiness.  But you pay the minimum and then you just keep charging to a credit card that you can’t pay.   Stuck in the cycle of credit card billing.  Never paying it off.   Forming a life of debt.

Or how about with what you eat or drink?   Perhaps you find yourself drinking 2 or 3 sodas every day.   It isn’t until you decide to kick the habit that you realize the hold that soda (or chocolate…or you fill in the blank) has on you.   And your body is starting to rebel.  You are gaining weight.  You are not feeling well.  You are achy.  You are tired.  You are fueling your body with something it wasn’t ever meant to be fueled with and now you are paying for that decision.  Forming a life of indulgence (the opposite of self-control).

Maybe one evening you were so tired, that you just fell in front of the TV to veg.  Before you know it, that is what you do every evening.  You have wasted thousands of hours vegging in front of an electronic box.  Forming a life of laziness.

You see, your life is not formed by the big moments, but by the little moments.  Who you are depends on those little decisions you make each and every day.

But the exciting news is that if you are alive, it is not too late to change!  And change comes with every little decision.  So instead of finding yourself locked in the same pattern…one day, you choose, instead, to–

-walk away from those really cute shoes.

-drink water.

-turn the tv off and read a story to your kids.

And then you continue that same pattern the next day…and the next day…and before you know it, you have made a positive change in your life!

I am personally working on kicking a sugar habit right now.  I did not realize just how badly I fueled my body until I was feeling it in a multitude of ways.  I am working at making those small decisions to make my life healthier, and consequently, more productive for God’s purposes.

We can never give in to Satan’s lie that it is impossible to change.  If we are God’s child and have been saved by His grace, it is NOT impossible to change.   God is bigger than my bad habit.  Isn’t that good news?

So what little change will you make today?

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  Aristotle