Break Bad Habits
Build Better Ones
Become Better Men
- Nate Whitson -
Each weekday inside the Fight Club app, I lead a short devotional for the men in our community. (You should join us if you haven't yet!)
On one of those days, I came across this seemingly insignificant verse in Joshua 13:13 that jumped out at me. Here's what it says:
"But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day."
Seems like a fly-by verse if I've ever seen one.
But it's not! This verse is not only a warning to you and I, but great advice on how to make changing bad behaviors so much easier.
Let's start with the warning first.
God told His people that they would be crossing into enemy territory and that He would lead them through it and defeat their enemies.
But the warning was to destroy completely all of the people and idols.
Why? Because if you compromise - it will kill you.
The same is true for you and me.
Which leads to the second point, and how to change bad behaviors. The warning and the advice go hand-in-hand.
If you want to change and become the man God had in mind when He made you, then you must eliminate all the obstacles that can keep you from it.
To fail to do this will not only make your life (and changing) harder, but compromise has the potential to kill the dreams of what God could have done in you if you'd been willing to listen.
This is a big, big deal!
In practical terms, let's say that you want to change your health and eating habits and have struggled to make it a permanent thing in your life.
One of the biggest reasons why may be this:
You (like the Israelites) failed to drive out the obstacles in your way!
- You kept junk food within arms reach at work.
- You made it easy to eat poorly.
- You failed to eliminate the soda and sugary treats with healthier options.
- You kept ice cream in the freezer for a late-night snack.
When you fail to completely eliminate the obstacles, you open yourself up to failure.
Again, this not only makes change harder, but it makes becoming the man God meant for you to be harder, too.
The simple takeaway is (I hope) clear:
If you're serious about changing some area of your life and you really want to be a better man for Christ, your family, and your community - then you need to make change easier by eliminating the obstacles in your life.
Think for a minute about an area of your life that you'd like to improve, grow, or change.
Now, what are the most likely obstacles that in the way?
How you can eliminate them or make them harder to reach?
If you'll take a few minutes to seriously consider these questions it can change your life!
That's not hype.
That's fact.
If you'll drive out the compromise, you'll change your life.
Do this long enough and in every key area of your life, and you'll become more of the man God meant for you to be.
Nate
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P.S.
Have you tried to change an area of your life before (get in shape, have a better attitude, lose weight) and failed?
If you're a normal human being, then YES - we all have!
Change is hard!
That's why I created this free, 7-Day Challenge. It shows you my Start Super Small System that makes changing so much easier for Christian men.
Check it out if you're serious about fixing some area of your life that's been difficult to change.
Learning how to distance distractions and eliminate obstacles is life-changing stuff!
