How to Change

Do you keep on doing that thing you wish you could change. Don’t feel alone in this. Even the Apostle Paul lamented over this. In Romans 7:18-19 he said,

“I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”

There have been times when I feel like I could have written that. Well, the Bible tells us how to overcome this. Let’s follow the steps to discover the secret of overcoming bad behavior.

Step 1: What you think is what you say.

Luke 6:45: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

In plain words, “What you think is what you say.” 

Step 2: What you say is what you do.

James 3:2 – “We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”

This verse teaches that if we say a thing, we are more likely to do that thing. 

Step 3: What you do is what you are.

James 2:18 – But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 

As loudly as someone may protest “That’s not me,” people can see who someone is by watching what they do.

The final step, is you are what you think.

Proverbs 23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Our more common way of saying this is “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

If you want to change what you do, if you want to change what you say, if you want to change what you are, change what you think about.

That is why Paul called on us to think about whatever is lovely, honest, true. (Philippians 4:8)

Lonnie Davis