How To Change Yourself
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
I found this neat track with this information from David Pratte. I hope you get some new insights from the thoughts and questions shared.
Do you find it hard to correct bad habits?
Do you need help living faithfully for God?
Here is God’s plan for you to change your life:
Let’s dive deeper on How To Change Yourself.
Have you ever had difficulty trying to change a habit? Human beings are creatures of habit. We tend to continue acting as we have acted in the past. Like a river flowing through a canyon, the longer a habit continue, the more deeply it becomes ingrained, and the harder it is to change. This is true of all habits, good or bad.
The importance of a habit depends on its consequences. Heroin use, for example, has far more serious consequences than biting your fingernails. The most significant habits are those that have eternal consequences.
Ephesians 4:22-24 Shows that major changes must occur when we are converted to serve God. Old practices and attitudes must be replaced by new ones. Christians must learn good habits like Bible study, prayer, attending church meetings, giving, teaching others, etc. We must also eliminated bad habits like foul language, quick temper, gambling, smoking, drugs, lying, pornography, drinking, sexual promiscuity, etc.
Knowing what changes to make is not enough. We also need to know how to make them. Change does not come easily. Since the Scriptures provide us to all good works (2 Timothy 3:16,17), they give all the guidance we need. Let us study 12 specific, practical steps the Bible gives to show us how to change to become what God wants.
Step 1: Change Your Purpose in Life
Step 2: Believe You Can Change With God’s Help
Step 3: Study the Bible About Your Habit
Step 4: Repent of Sin
Step 5: Develop a Plan of Action
Step 6: Pray Regularly
Step 7: Seek Help From Other Christians
Step 8: Diligently Practice What is Right
Step 9: Substitute Good Habits For Bad Ones
Step 10: Avoid Temptation
Step 11: Face One Day at a Time
Step 12: Be Patient
By using the means God provides, you can change to be what He wants. He gives motivation, guidance, encouragement. All that is left is for you to determine to follow His will and then diligently at on that decision. He provides the tools. You must use them. What choice will you make?