A couple weeks ago, while cleaning my kitchen, I was listening to the BYU Devotional ago about agency. [It was on in the background and I never even looked up to see who was speaking, but I’m certain it was a professor, not a member of the 12].
I listened to this professors thoughts on agency as I wiped and swept and scrubbed. At the beginning of the talk he pointed out the obvious – God’s plan is-and has always been -to allow us to choose for ourselves – be it good or evil. But Satan’s plan is – and has always been – to bind us to choices, to take away our ability to choose. He exercises his plan over us by and through habits and addictions.
Later, in the talk the speaker said something to the effect of “each choice we make for good brings the power of Heavenly Father into our lives, and each choice we make for evil brings the power of Satan into our lives.” And when he said that a light went on in my head. Remember this thought from earlier in the fall:
I’m trying to change some of my habits right now (let’s be honest, I have a lot of habits I want to change). One habit in particular I am using a friend as mentor/person to help me be accountable for the change. The other day I text her a small success I had. She text me back and said “It only takes 21 days to make a habit”
And in my head, my snarky side said “Oh bull.”
Maybe it takes 21 days to develop a bad habit. But at age 36 I can say I’ve never developed a good habit yet. I looked through my whole soul to see if I have any good habits, and guess what? I don’t. NOT ONE.
Example: Going to church.
I’ve gone to church pretty much every single week of my entire life. Other than being out of town and out of range of a church, which happens maybe once a year, I’m at church every.single.week. And still, it’s not something I consider a habit. I still have weeks where I’m tired, overwhelmed or just plain have a bad attitude, and I don’t want to go. On those Sundays the only reason I’m there is because I willed myself to be there. But it most definitely isn’t out of thoughtless habit.
There’s lots of other things I’ve done for much longer than 21 days, and those habits have never taken either. So . . . I don’t know what to say about that other than it probably only takes 21 days to set a bad habit, but definitely not a good one.
When the speaker talked about letting the power of God into our lives – it came to me – that power isn’t found in God forcing us into the next choice through habit or addiction. That power is the blessings of the Lord, and the confidence gained in doing what’s right. But the next time that choice comes before us, the Lord steps back, and again let’s us make the choice.
And the inverse is true of Satan. Each time we make a choice that goes against the teachings of our Father, Satan uses his power to bind us and to tie us, to take away our choices the next time. That is why addictions and habits are so powerfully destructive.
I know, sometimes I miss the obvious. I find that gospel truths are always so simple and obvious, and yet I never see it until I do. Funny how that works.
