Starving the Lies

Have you ever tried to break a bad habit? I’m not just talking about something that you like to do or have gotten used to doing, but a pressing, all-consuming, gotta-have-it-or-I’ll-die habit. It’s not an easy task. The first few days you try to make your change, it can feel almost physically painful. You crave it, you miss it, and, perhaps, you didn’t realize just how much you had come to rely on it until that moment when you suddenly don’t have it. Still, the longer you go without, the easier it will slowly become to handle the fact that this habit is no longer a part of your life.

I talk to women a lot who tell me that they have struggled with issues of emotional bondage for years. As they talk to me, all I can do is nod my head in agreement, because I am no stranger to their plight. To say that emotional bondage has been an issue for me is an understatement. I know what it feels like to literally feel surrounded, constricted, and restrained by fear, depression, and anxiety, to the point that I begin to lose all hope of ever finding an escape.

The question, then, is how do I break free from these “habits”?

The answer, unfortunately, is not a magic combination or formula. There isn’t an easy way out. The answer comes in a process. The process involves starving those unhealthy emotions, and feeding the truth. It’s a simple principle that if something isn’t fed, it will eventually die. Instead of “feeding” our fears, anxieties, and insecurities by giving them time, thought, and energy, we have to starve them. Don’t dwell on them, don’t allow your mind to wander into the scary land of “what if’s?” and don’t let your emotions be the guide or the basis of your truth.

Instead, take all the time you are saving by starving your emotional dependencies and devote it to feeding the truth. This comes in the form of reading the Word, prayer, and conversation with Godly friends. When you feel a fearful instinct, rise above it and instead, focus on the absolulte, solid truths of God himself. Try to separate out what you feel from what is real. There is a big difference, and recognizing that difference can very well save you from a lifetime of pointless grief and oppression.

Make a choice today to only “feed” the truth. Eventually, you may just find those old, fearful habits of yours dying off. It’s a process, but the end result is so worth it!