
6 Habits That are Hurting Your Walk With God
Everyone has a bad habit or two that they wish they could break. Maybe you bite your nails, leave dirty dishes in the sink, or pop your gum. I will be the first one to tell you how difficult it is to break habits like these… and yet, these aren’t really the bad habits we need to reflect upon. I’m talking about bad habits that get in the way of our walk with our Savior.
September is Self Improvement Month and I’ve been looking back on the resolutions I set for myself at the beginning of the year. Reflect on the most common bad habits that keep you from putting your faith first. I’d love to hear what bad habits you are trying to break (feel free to share them on my Facebook page
Bad Habit #1: Ignoring your need to reflect
Looking back at my new year’s resolutions makes me realize…I don’t look back nearly enough. Reflection is one of the most important parts of growing in faith. For me, when there’s an area of sin that I am trying to eliminate from my life, it’s easy to get bogged down every time I slip up. However, faith is not an overnight transformation…trust me. Take time to reflect on how far you’ve come in the past five years and don’t worry about day-to-day changes. Reflection helps us to learn and grow. As they say, “you can’t know where you’re going, until you know where you’ve been.”
Bad Habit #2: Burdening yourself with the needs of the future…without focusing on today’s beauty
As a mom and a business-woman, all I do is worry about the future. Will there be money for the kid’s college? When is the right time to buy a new car? What am I making for dinner? We have to force ourselves to stop, breathe and take a look around. God has gifted us with a beautiful life to cherish and we should thank Him for it. No matter what we’re struggling with today or worrying about tomorrow, all we need to do is look around and see that we have been blessed by a loving Lord.
Bad Habit #3: Brushing it off when you’re Craving Rest
Contrary to popular belief, you’re allowed to feel tired and worn out. Take time for yourself. You don’t need to say YES to attending every PTA event, every kid’s birthday party, or even every church gathering. Find that one activity that truly brings you peace and set time aside for it. If you’re struggling finding time or being able to rest, contact me and we can walk through this journey together.
Bad Habit #4: Losing track of your relationships
Friendships are never a waste of time and energy. A lot of times, when I’m overwhelmed, I cut out social gatherings all together so I can “focus,” but these are the people I need the most. Having a support system is what gets me through many of my struggles. Who knows? Spending an hour away with a good Christian friend can help you come back with a different attitude and a Godly outlook.
Bad Habit #5: Staying plugged in at all times
Man, do I love social media. I get to connect with my amazing clients, revisit with friends from a past life, and giggle at the most adorable puppies in the world. Social media is a great tool, but sometimes that tool starts to turn into more of a lifestyle. Remember the importance of unplugging. Take those 10 minutes you spend scrolling through feeds and start a new daily devotional. This will fill your day with His word, while avoiding the drama on the Net.
Bad Habit #6: Suppressing your creativity
Nothing bothers me more than when a client lights up telling me about her passion for *fill in creative talent here*, but says she’s no good at it, so she doesn’t spend time with it. Ladies, creativity is a blessing! So you may not be the next Mandisa, but singing brings you joy. God gave us talents and passions. It’s our responsibility to discover how to use those passions to glorify Him and create happiness.
Easier said than done, huh? But I’m always reminded that ALL things are possible through Him. With prayer on my side, each of these bad habits are on their way out the door (*refer back to Bad Habit #1 if you’re concerned about your progress*).
“I will never walk alone for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth” Psalm 26:3