Search me, O God, and
know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the
way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
Bad habits—we all have them. Some affect us more severely
than others, but all bad habits will affect us spiritually, physically, and
emotionally. We must be aware of their harm.
Samson, a Bible character in the Old Testament book of
Judges, is a good example of how a bad habit can cause us to lose our purpose
in life. Judges 13:5 tells us that God had a special purpose for Samson when he
was born. God blessed Samson with extra strength so that he could carry out the
special job God had for him to do. He was to deliver Israel from the hands of
the Philistines. Israel had been under the control of the Philistines for 40
years.
When Samson was about twenty years old, he began to allow
his fleshly desires to take over his life. He had a bad habit—women. He allowed
his lust for women to control his life. This led him into immorality. Bad
habits can take us further than we intend to stray. Before we know it, we can
get deeper and deeper into a particular sin, and it begins to control our
lives.
Bad habits can keep us longer than we want to stay. Just
think of the alcoholics who just wanted to try a few beers. Think of the person
who just wanted to try a little gambling and loses his savings, his family, and
perhaps his job. We all know how overeating and other unwise habits can damage
our health.
Bad habits certainly cost us more than we think they will.
In Samson’s case, the woman he loved betrayed him, the Lord left him, the
Philistines gouged out his eyes, and he lost his strength. We can read about
this in Judges 16.
Just as God had a purpose for Samson, He has a purpose for your
life. Are some of your habits keeping you from fulfilling that purpose?
Georgia Andrus
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