Good habits

The basketball player DANIEL SANTIAGO is one of the most loved ones wherever he has played: Italy, the NBA, Unicaja and Barcelona in Spain (where he became champion), the National Team of Puerto Rico and the Efes Pilsen in Turkey enjoyed the game of this pivot, as well as his advice, his professionalism and his love for God.

While playing for the NBA he almost lost his sight after being hit with an elbow during a game, but God helped him to continue always applying good habits to his professional life in basketball, he is a player trained in good habits.

We all know the good habits that lead to good health. Training, a healthy diet, a balanced lifestyle, etc. We also know the good spiritual habits that help us to grow in the Christian life.

But we may forget that the best way to reinforce good habits is not to let bad habits get a foothold. That's much harder to do.

Once you have let them in, you can often only break them with blood, sweat and tears. Bad habits cause us so much grief!

It may seem an impossible task to get rid of them, although it really is simple - no matter what sort of bad habit we're fighting against, God shows us how to break it. Take the following steps in prayer, before the Lord:

1. Decide to break the habit. You can't defeat an enemy you love.

2. Put it in God's hands; he is the Conqueror. Get to know God better. The nearer you are to him, the harder it will be to fall. Acknowledge Christ's right of ownership over your life.

3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

4. Acknowledge your responsibility for this particular habit.

5. Confess your sin and rest in God's forgiveness.

6. Thank God for his understanding and forgiveness.

7. Thank God for the VICTORY whenever you are tempted to give in.

8. Don't promise to change, just make decisions that have to be kept. Promises are often only words.

9. Change the bad habit for something better, in the natural or spiritual realms.

10. Don't obey the Devil! He wins every time we lose. Don't forget that earthly sins are scandals in heaven, even if no one on earth knows about them. This is war, and we must win!

11. Every time you feel like giving in to the habit, RUN!!

12. Ask a Christian friend to help you and pray with you, if necessary.

Remember that you'll be tempted to give in to your bad habits, saying, "Oh well, next time..." Look at Samson's example. You may think you can break free just like before, until you fall in the trap.