Are You Stuck? Daily Steps to Break FreeSample

Devotional

It’s time to break the negative, self-defeating habits that are stealing your joy and making you feel like you can’t break free or move on.

So far in this plan you’ve considered some thoughts and read scripture to help you:

• open your heart and mind to hear God speaking
• identify the lies you've believed
• evaluate your current support system
• determine what relationships you need to cultivate

Now it’s time to put your preparation into action. Putting on a new self, or new habits, as Paul prescribes in Ephesians 4:22 requires intentionality and focus. Remember, the emotions and attitudes that are keeping you stuck didn’t just show up, nor are they going to be replaced in a day.

However, by committing to a few positive habits, you can start to break the cycle. It's time to replace some unhealthy, unproductive actions or practices with truth-based actions from God’s Word.

Your thought life is the best place to start.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Reflection Questions:

1. What is the best way to refocus your attention back to God when your thoughts start to take you down? Which medium inspires you most – art, written word or music? Arm yourself with pictures, written scriptures or songs that you can immediately look to when the negative thoughts come.
2. What physical activities can you do when you feel tempted to hide yourself away?
3. How can you pursue meaningful relationships this week? (Go to church if you haven’t been attending regularly, join a small group or send a message to a friend or family member you have not connected with in a while)

Transcript

It’s amazing how quickly we form habits. A habit is defined as a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.

Chances are you've developed a few negative habits that are keeping you stuck in a repetitive cycle of doubt, anger, bitterness, fear or blaming.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, says, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

These verses prescribe two equal, yet opposite actions that you must do to shake off your negative habits so that you can be made new in the attitude of your mind.

You've got to put off the old and put on the new!

A few verses later, Paul says, “he who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands (v. 28).”

Here's an interesting question in regard to these verses…Is a thief who first comes to Christ still a thief?

Well, we could definitely say he has the potential and the resources to no longer be a thief; however, the only way a thief can shed the title for good is to stop stealing!

In other words, the thief must come up with something else to do to make his living instead of stealing…he must put off his old habits and put on new ones to take their place. It’s not enough to expect the thief to merely stop stealing, because the stealing served a purpose and met his needs.

If you really want to break out of the situation you find yourself in, then you’ve got to identify what habits and thought patterns are keeping you bound.

It’s time to break the negative, self-defeating habits that are stealing your joy and keeping you stuck!