How to Break Habits, Part 3
Friday 24th March 2023
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient (helpful): all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any [wrong habit].
The subconscious mind is the seat of our identity, habits, and character,
Last time, we talked about how it is the base for our habits, and how 1. It is very powerful 2. We have no direct control over it, unlike the conscious mind.
We also talked about how the subconscious mind, unlike the conscious mind, is not programmed or controlled consciously. It works in a very simple way, and doesn’t go off. It constantly takes record of the things we repeatedly do, see and hear, and programs itself accordingly, without any thought for whether we want to continuously see these things in our lives or not.
The subconscious mind is basically there to keep us alive. It works on a simple premise. If what you have been doing, hearing, and seeing has kept you alive till this point, then replicating them should help keep you alive going forward. So it is there to help you replicate what you have been seeing, hearing, and doing.
However, remember that 1. It is very powerful 2. We have no direct control over it.
So basically, in habits and so many other parts of our lives, the subconscious pushes us to keep holding on to and repeating our past behaviour, beliefs, actions, preferences, etc, even when they do not make sense to our conscious mind.
This is the major reason we keep seeing ourselves doing things we used to do before we got born again, even after we get born again.
Because it works with sight also, it makes us replicate what we saw our parents, for example, model.
So how do we reprogram the subconscious?
The following methods reprogram the subconscious mind.
- The Word of God (Heb 4:12, Eph 4:22–24)
- Repetition (of words, images, circumstances and interactions),
- Emotional experiences
- Traumatic experiences
.
We already know the Word of God is able to save us spiritually, mentally, and physically when we study it (Rom 1:16, Rom 12:2), so we shall start with the other three.
Repetition
The subconscious is primarily programmed by repetition. Whatever you hear, see, or do repeatedly in childhood or adulthood is recorded in your subconscious, and if it is repeated enough, can become part of your person. This is why, if you had grown up in another part of the world, your voice would be different right now. It would have been programmed by what you heard repeatedly when your speech was forming.
Also, if you had grown up with different people, you would have had different attitudes too, because most people don’t notice it, but we pick things up from those we grow up with.
This process doesn’t stop when you grow up. It just slows down, because most variables are already set in the subconscious by adulthood. However, they can still be replaced with enough repetition.
Emotional Experiences
Generally, our mind – both conscious and subconscious – takes more note of experiences when they are emotional than when they are not.
If you think of what you actually remember from your childhood, you would see that most of them happened during a period of joy, excitement, anger, fear, or embarrassment.
Emotions make the subconscious and conscious minds take more note of happenings, and make changes because of them. Even in adulthood, an experience is more likely to change you negatively or positively if you go through some heightened emotions when having it.
We will go through the rest in Part 4 of this series.
God bless you.
CONFESSION
I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. I am developing the right habits, improving myself, and walking in excellence in all I do. I am not stuck to the past. Greater is He that is in me. I am more than a conqueror, and am winning over every negative habit of my past, in Jesus Name.
MORE LIGHT (MEDITATE ON, AND PRAY WITH THESE)
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ephesians 4:22-24 ‘That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.’
Hebrews 4:12 ‘For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ‘
2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
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Be blessed as you share. God bless you.
