Out With the Bad Air and In With the Good

“The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new affection.” – Thomas Chalmers

I have heard that one of the most effective ways to break a bad habit is to replace it with a good one. In other words, it’s not enough to simply eradicate the bad habit, because doing so creates a void that needs to be filled. And since nature abhors a vacuum, that void may wind up being filled by an even worse habit.

So, if you have trouble falling asleep after watching the 11:00 news with all its murders and mayhem, try filling that time slot with reading a book until your eyelids start to close… or listening to some relaxing music. Can’t stop snacking while you’re watching TV? Try replacing those chips… or that bowl of ice cream… with some fresh fruit, a granola bar, healthy nuts, or yogurt.

Had a bad experience in a liberal or unloving church? Start attending one that preaches God’s Word and applies it authentically. Remember Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That applies in both the physical realm and the spiritual one, which is why Jesus shared the following parable…

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV)

As the saying goes, “out with the bad air and in with the good!”

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President