At the beginning of the year, I promised myself that I would try to be the best that I can be for Jesus. I committed to glorifying God with every victory. I have the following goals: 1. To do better financially 2. To be healthier 3. To continuously grow personally and professionally One night, we ate a traditional Filipino food for dinner that left a gamy taste in my mouth. I said I needed something to get rid of the taste, so I ate a small piece of dark chocolate. The next day, it happened again. I had to get a small piece of dessert to clear and satisfy my palate. I recently set up a website, and I’m excited about it. It was a blog that talks all about Jesus (High3r.com). I got so worked up about it that I checked on it and updated the blog even when I’m at work. I know what you’re thinking. God reminded me of it right away. I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me, “Son you’re getting off track.” I got confused at first, so I looked at the things I did. I felt ashamed of myself when I realised what I’ve been doing and to be honest, and I didn’t even notice that I was slowly developing habits that could hurt my future. Good thing God gave me a gentle tap on the back. I remember this verse, Genesis 4:7 MSG God spoke to Cain: “Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.” Sin is like a tiger working stealthily for us to develop bad habits without us knowing it. The first time we do it, it was innocent. Then, we develop a need for it, and it becomes a habit. If not checked correctly, the simplest things can have the most significant consequences. We need to be aware of our habits and master it. There was a US-based bank who prioritised hitting sales targets more than anything in their business. When they met their sales quota, they celebrated. When they didn’t, they made employees who missed the target wear chicken suits at work. A few years later, an external audit investigation revealed that employees set up new accounts for customers without their knowledge to meet company goals. Guess what happened? Over five thousand employees were fired, and the bank paid millions of dollars in fines and restitution. Is hitting sales target a bad thing? Certainly not, but activities that are not checked or supervised can lead to bad habits. Unsupervised eating could lead to obesity. Oversleeping can become laziness. Being relaxed can lead to being negligent. Good thing God caught me early on. I was able to figure out what to do to stop the bad habits before I get myself into trouble. Praise God who deserves all the glory! Romans 6:14 New International Version (NIV) 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.