My Theory on Why We Fail at Keeping Good Habits

By

I was driving down the road the other day with my wife and without warning, I blurted out, “Don’t look over there!� as I pointed dramatically to her right side. Of course, in a reflexive action, she riveted her head in the exact direction I told her not to look. I knew she would respond that way, as would I under a similar circumstance. Why do you suppose that is?

The law, any law, compels you to act against it. With some forethought, or if you are in agreement with the law, it is easier to comply. But it seems that the things we should be doing, so often we are loathe to do, and the things we should forbid, we feel drawn to. Paul spoke in detail about this in Romans 7. “For what I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do.� He explains that sin residing in us is activated by law. In other words, as soon as the commandment came forbidding an action, our sin nature immediately craves to do it.

The same is often true regarding any law. Yes, I know there are many exceptions. If it became illegal to eat cow paddies, I wouldn’t suddenly crave them. On the other hand, if the sign says, “Wet paint. Don’t touch…� Well, curiosity may get the best of me. When we make habits a law for our life, we immediately set in action a natural response to disobey that law and likely doom it to failure. The more legalistic we become about that law, the more the battle rages and if by sheer determination we win and keep that law, we often end up rather unpleasant to be around.

On the other hand, if the habit is motivated by grace and fueled by vision, then it is no longer a law and a great deal of resistance melts away. Our chance for success increases greatly. Quit making habits a law and keep your eyes on the reason (the vision) for the habits while asking God to give you His grace in weakness. He will.