Habits and Addictions

Definition:
The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or or involved in something.

Strange. When it's a good thing, you call it a habit. When it's bad, it's called an addiction. I was thinking the other day about exercise. Seems to me, often it's simply trading one addiction for another. (Or excuse me, trading one habit for another) Instead of watching tv, you walk. Instead of obsessing about when you can have your next binge, you just obsess about food's nutritional value.

Can you ever stop being addicted? Or do you simply manage your addictions, and make sure you are focusing on 'positive' ones?

So I guess that makes me an addictive personality. Oh yeah, BIG SURPRISE there! I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. Strangely, the same thing that makes me prone to bad habits, is the same thing that makes me a faithful person. I'm 100%. Either way. Let's just say that it's a good thing that I never backslid as a teen, because I'm afraid of the 100%-ed-ness that would have created. This is also the reason that I never drank alcohol as a teen or young adult. Or why I never tried smoking pot. Even as a young person, I was aware of my weaknesses. I'm prone to habits.

So, when I was knitting....I was KNITTING baby! I wanted to get one thing done, just to start another. It's all or nothing. Growing up, this was the same part of my character that kept me going strong for God. If I was going to live for God...then I was gonna do it whole heartedly! (And Loud, I might add) You can't know me, and not know what I love. That's just the way I am.

However, I'd prefer to call my walk with God an addiction. A Good addiction. Because the word "addiction" has a connotation of passion and zeal. You wake up and go to sleep thinking about your addiction. You are compelled! That's how I'd like to live for God.

I'd be scared if my God-relationship dropped to just "habit". That would be scary. Habit is defined as "A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition." Gosh...that sounds boring!

I know people who have a life-long habit of living a "Christian life". Its rarely given much thought or process. Its a pattern. Repetition. Good Heavens.......that sounds like religion to me! Dead, with pattern and repetition only because that's what you've always done and believed, and you never grow past the same point.

I want to run to my Jesus-Addiction like I'd run to any other serious addiction. Why? You can't live without your fix. You know you are unable to live without it.....and your knowledge of your need makes you run for more. Yep. I'll sign up for that.