Listen - we all have bad habits! It is okay! Whether it is leaving dirty clothes on the floor, not eating right, not cleaning the dishes "on time", or leaving the toilet seat up [gentleman lol]. The beautiful thing about being married is the joys of living together. You are getting to know each other and the different "habits" you have formed over the years. Some are good [keep those] and some are bad [try to modify as best you can lol]. There is a stark difference between characteristics and habits. Habits, to a degree, can be changed/modified.
Please remember that we are more than flesh and blood, our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. There is a constant struggle between flesh and spirit, wrong and right on a daily basis. We are stewards of a body created in God's image and made by His great design.You have been bought with a price, ordained to bring honor and glory to Christ. We should be loving our bodies because of His grace, but too often we misuse, abuse, and neglect it. We know what to do, but we don’t always do it. We know what habits we want to break, but we don’t always break them. We struggle against the flesh, desperately wanting to follow the Spirit, but we need His strength to carry us through. The question is are we being good stewards with everything he has given us.
We need to ask God to remove any temptation or obstacles in our marriage, and any habits that could cause a rift. We need His help to break free of bad habits, and incorporate new ones that are good for the body, the mind, and the spirit. We need help to get off of the couch when we are feeling lazy, dig into the Word when we should, and to live lives that are pleasing to Him.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies!
Honoring God with your body is essential honoring God with your life. He has given you this life as a gift. Furthermore, He has given you the opportunity to be joined in this journey with someone else. Do not let the patterns of this world deter you from being the best wife possible.
As I was reading to prepare for this blog post, I read an article entitled "8 Bad Marriage Habits You Need to Break Right Now" by Dr. David b. Hawkins . The list is as follows:
- Interrupting your mate
- Talking over your mate
- Shaming your mate
- Rolling your eyes dismissively
- Being accusatory of your mate
- Stonewalling your mate
- Acting disinterested
- Refusing to take responsibility for bad behavior
As stated in the article, if these behaviors are done on a rare occasion it will not have a severe effect. It is when this becomes a habit that this can be detrimental.
You can find the link to the full article here.
How do you change bad habits? PRAYER! I know this is a cliché statement but we need to put it into practice. You cannot change without the strength from God. Prayer not only changes things, it can change people. There are so many habits we have formed over the years, don’t let that one bad habit be the demise of your relationship.
Besides prayer there are also some other useful tools you can put into practice. Here is a link to an article that gives some practical steps to breaking bad habits. It is entitled “7 Steps to Changing a Bad Habit”.
To my followers who are single - start to create habits that will glorify God and in the long run be an asset to your marriage.
To my followers who are married - although you are married, DO NOT BE COMPLACENT! As you are learning each other be open to discuss the things that are bothersome in a respectful manner. Your partner will be willing to hear you if it is done in a loving way.
For His glory only,
XOXO
Danielle J.
