Page 10 - Faith-Based Workbook 8-27-18
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TOPUCU Adult Faith-Based Workbook                                                                                                                                                                                             Lesson 1: Part 2



      LESSON 1: PART 2
                                                                                                                                      routine to taking walks in the park with                 ice cream every night. You can – and you
      WHY DO I KEEP DOING THAT?                                                                                                       your friend instead of at the mall. You will             will – find the answer too! Just don’t quit
                                                                                                                                                                                               looking for the right replacement. If you give
                                                                                                                                      still be satisfied at the end of the walk
                                                                                                                                      and you’ll have modified a bad habit and                 up before you doing it – The Only Person U
                                                                                                                                      replaced it with a good one. You have to                 Cheat is U. TOPUCU.
                                                                                                                                      analyze the craving and see if you can
      Let’s talk a little more about habits. In part           hungry. The Devil said to him, 'if you are
      one of this lesson we discussed that habits              the Son of God, tell this stone to become                                                        "No temptation has overtaken you that is not
      are formed through three components –                    bread.'” Luke 4:1-3 (NIV)                                                                       common to man..." — 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
      the trigger, which is what puts the habit
      in motion; the routine, which is the act of              We know from reading the rest of that                                  change your relationship to it. Figure out               Since we’re looking at finding, identifying,
      doing the habit; and the reward, the feeling             story Jesus was able to stand up against                               what it is and begin the process of removing             and analyzing triggers, routine and reward,
      of satisfaction your brain experiences after             temptation and we look to His example for                              it from the equation.                                    this is a good place to introduce you to
      you do the habit. We’ve also learned that                how we should turn away from the activities                            Third – the reward. Now, we need to look at              one of the most valuable concepts in your
      the key to changing a habit is changing the              and behaviors that are detrimental to us. But                          the reward. Whenever you finish the routine              TOPUCU Toolbox: The Building Block Habit.
      routine, because while the trigger and the               we also know it is a lot easier said than done,                        there is a sense of satisfaction – an extreme
      reward components are constant, the routine              especially considering that we, of course, are                         comfort. We want to emphasize the need                   What is a Building Block Habit? A “Building
      component can be changed directly through                not perfect like Jesus. And furthermore, our                           to feel rewarded. And that need will never               Block Habit” is a routine behavior that
      your own willpower. You cannot, however,                 temptations (i.e. the triggers) often relate                           change. But you must analyze the root of                 subconsciously leads to the formation of
      ignore the trigger and the reward when                   to something that feels necessary. If we can                           the particular satisfaction you’re trying to             other behaviors. In other words, mastering a
      willing yourself to change your routine. In              identify what is triggering - or enabling - our                        achieve. Were you hungry for something                   good building block habit will help you form
      fact, you must examine those components                  cravings, we have a better chance of coming                            sweet? Or were you just hungry? What                     other good habits without you even knowing
      closely if you want to succeed at creating               up with a plan to change our bad habits.                               exactly is the satisfaction or the reward                it. These kinds of habits will propel you from
      new, better habits.                                      Think about this – let’s say you have a bad                            you’re looking for and how can you find a                behavior modification to life transformation.
                                                               habit of overspending money on clothes.                                                                                         You must remember, however, some habits
      First – the trigger. The trigger is the thing                                                                                   different way to achieve it? That’s the key              are good, some are bad. You must learn
      that sets you off. In many cases the trigger             For years, you’ve been meeting your friend                             to changing the routine!                                 to correctly evaluate which category your
      can be equated to temptation. We are all                 at the mall to walk around and get caught                              The satisfaction of enjoying the results                 habits belong in – and you must be decisive
      subject to temptation. In the First Letter               up on each other’s lives. Maybe you even                               (the reward) will be sufficient to help you              in keeping what’s good and cutting off
      to the Corinthians, Paul writes that “No                 pray together and encourage one another
      temptation has overtaken you that is not                 to stay faithful. The bottom line is you really                        continue your new routine. This will, in                 what’s bad.
                                                                                                                                      turn, help you change your habit. Whatever
      common to man…” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)                enjoy the time with your friend and walking                            it is, you have to search for, and choose,               Philippians 4:8 says, “…whatever is true,
      We also read that even Jesus Christ himself              around the mall is fun and fulfilling. However,                        a different routine to help bridge the                   whatever is noble, whatever is right,
      was tempted on several occasions with the                over time you’ve developed an attitude or                              gap between craving (the trigger) and                    whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
      most intriguing instance occurring in the                habit that says, “Well, as long as I’m at the                          satisfaction (the reward).                               whatever is admirable – if anything is
      book of Luke in which Satan himself comes                mall I might as well buy something." The                                                                                        praiseworthy – think about such things.”
      to the Savior and presents Him with                      next thing you know the trigger of going                               Think about the ice cream example from                   (NIV) This scripture – which we will actually
      a number of opportunities to turn away                   to the mall equals purchasing more clothes.                            part one of this lesson. We recognized                   revisit several times throughout this starter
      from his Father.                                         Your original reason for getting together                              that the craving (the trigger) wasn’t                    program – is a great example of a building
                                                               was to take a walk and get caught up and
      “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned                connect with your sister-in-Christ. It was                             necessarily for ice cream. It was, simply, a             block habit. If you can master the idea
      from the Jordan and was led by the spirit                actually more about the social aspect; not                             craving for a snack. After testing several               expressed in this verse, other good habits
      in the desert, where for forty days he was               the shopping.                                                          substitute routines we found a few healthier             and behaviors will inevitably follow.
      tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during                                                                                     alternatives that would give the desired                 Let’s look at another example. Have you ever
      those days, and at the end of them he was                Second - the routine. Once you’ve identified                           satisfaction we were craving. That way we                had a day where you worked out or went
                                                               this as the trigger you can change your                                wouldn’t cave in to the temptation to eat



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