What Habits Are You Locked Into?

“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus said this to His disciples when they failed to stay awake while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest.

Fast forward two thousand years. All too often my own spirit is indeed willing, but my flesh is weak. Which brings me to the topic of habits, and to the realization that it took modern science two thousand years to catch up to the Bible! Here’s why . . .

Habits are formed over two to three months. For those of us who trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we may have to break a lifetime of habits formed apart from Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even when we desire to break those habits, it’s not always easy. And then we have to create new habits to replace the old ones.

The apostle Paul addressed this problem in his letter to the early church in Rome when he wrote, “Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness” (Romans 6:19 NIV). This challenge is not new. Thankfully, Paul also provided the solution in that same letter: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).

Notice, he said “offer your bodies.” This is not limited to the spiritual realm. We live in physical bodies—bodies that are used to having our own way. And our own way usually involves physical comfort and convenience. Now here’s where science is finally catching up to the Bible.

First, Paul urged us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Then in the next verse, he tells us how to do it. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Transformation comes by the renewing of our minds. Christians begin with faith in Christ. At that moment, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer. This spiritual reality leads us to the transformation of our minds, which in turn results in transformation of our bodies—the way we physically live.

And this is where science has finally caught up with the Bible. Today we call this the science of neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to change and relearn new ways to approach life. I have a dear friend who has suffered with debilitating pain for more than ten years. After exhausting every possible physical option, he explored neuroplasticity: the science of renewing the way his mind responds to the pain in his body. And he is reaping the benefits today.

So it’s not enough for us to claim that our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. We need to ask ourselves:

Am I willing to allow my mind to be transformed and renewed by the Holy Spirit?

Am I then willing to offer myself as a living physical sacrifice as I live for my Savior?

How willing are you and I to follow Jesus, mind and body?