Habits
A balloon bursting. A dog barking. Even a sudden intake of breath from a family member in the next room. These all have the potential to make me jump, making me aware of a spike in my heart-rate and a shot of adrenaline being sent around my body. Rationally I know that any of those experiences are not causes for genuine alarm but my natural reaction is to flinch and find my body on edge. This is not to say that oversensitive reactions don’t sometimes have their place – on numerous occasions I have found myself catching a mug or plate that has slipped out of my grasp before I consciously realised what I was doing.
Reflecting on this made me think about some of the other things I do automatically or without thinking. Looking at the BBC Sport website first thing in the morning; checking for ‘wallet, keys, phone’ before leaving the house; putting milk in at the only possible correct time when making a cup of tea. Most of us would see ourselves as creatures of habit in significant areas of our lives.
Habits on their own are neutral: some are helpful whilst others less so. Identifying the behaviours we exhibit which have a negative effect on ourselves or others can be tough. They are also difficult to change – a brief appraisal of the success of any New Year’s resolutions we have kept by February would be a good testament of this. The language of ‘habits’ is one we use at Ocean Church, where we seek to foster positive habits in our families and as a community.
The Bible doesn’t reference the notion of habits much explicitly. However, in the letter to the Romans, Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God.” (Romans 12:2) It is translated slightly differently in The Message as follows: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.”
Both translations seem to be making the point that a life of faith is not about naively fitting into the society around us. Instead, we need to be willing and ready to change our minds, not on whims, but as a result of focusing on the divine and God’s desires. We need to be humble enough to accept that our current opinions and points of view may change. What might transform our thinking?
My best guess in this season of exploring ‘Wild Minds’ is that it depends on how we are wired. For some it will be reading more widely or listening to talks or podcasts from people of faith outside our usual circles that may provoke and shape us. For others, it will be time spent in each other’s company, listening to challenges, sharing our struggles and paying attention to the collective wisdom. More may find experiences out in nature speak to our souls as we ask God to mould us.
My reaction to balloons and other sudden loud noises is unlikely to change. What I do have more control over is the way that I behave at work, around my family and the way that I think about and treat other people. Habit formation is time-consuming and involves perseverance. With the knowledge that scripture encourages us to be willing to change our minds following time in God’s presence, we can take heart that this transformation is possible.
