<p data-start="202" data-end="272">Have you ever noticed how quickly a desire turns into a justification?</p>
<p data-start="202" data-end="272"><em data-start="274" data-end="311">That looks good—so I should eat it.</em><br data-start="311" data-end="314" /><em data-start="314" data-end="350">That sounds fun—so I should do it.</em><br data-start="350" data-end="353" /><em data-start="353" data-end="381">I feel like it—so why not?</em></p>
<p data-start="202" data-end="272"><img decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-25765" src="https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="630" srcset="https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1.jpg 1200w, https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1-150x79.jpg 150w, https://barbraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Heading-1-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<p data-start="383" data-end="611">This lie shows up everywhere, especially in the habits we struggle with: overeating, overspending, over-scrolling, overworking… basically anything where desire takes the wheel and drives us somewhere we later regret.</p>
<p data-start="613" data-end="777">Often people tell me, “I don’t know what I’m thinking. I can’t pinpoint the lie I’m believing.” This makes it hard to <a href="https://barbraveling.com/how-to-truth-journal/">truth journal</a> because we need to begin with a lie if we want to put the truth to it.</p>
<p data-start="613" data-end="777">In today’s Christian Habits Podcast episode, I cover a lie you can always use to truth journal whenever you feel like breaking your boundaries with a habit: <em>I want to do this, so I should</em>.</p>
<p data-start="613" data-end="777">At its core, this lie is about desire: we want something. When we believe this lie, we assume that desire equals permission.</p>
<p data-start="779" data-end="818">But desire isn’t a good decision-maker.</p>
<h2 data-start="820" data-end="852"><strong data-start="824" data-end="852">Where the Lie Comes From</strong></h2>
<p data-start="853" data-end="1097">Culture constantly tells us: <em data-start="882" data-end="935">Follow your heart. You deserve it. Live your truth.</em> And while that might work when our desires are healthy, it’s a terrible strategy when our desires lead us toward sin, addiction, struggles with our health and finances, relationship problems, and regret.</p>
<p data-start="1099" data-end="1187">God never designed desire to be our leader. He designed it to be something we <em data-start="1177" data-end="1186">steward</em>.</p>
<h2 data-start="1189" data-end="1217"><strong data-start="1193" data-end="1217">A Better Way to Live</strong></h2>
<p data-start="1218" data-end="1272"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2013%3A14&version=NASB1995">Romans 13:14</a> gives us a completely different approach:</p>
<p data-start="1274" data-end="1343"><em data-start="1274" data-end="1343">“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts.”</em></p>
<p data-start="1345" data-end="1356">That means:</p>
<p data-start="1358" data-end="1448"><strong data-start="1358" data-end="1378">1. Put on Christ</strong><br data-start="1378" data-end="1381" />Talk to Him. Ask for help. Sit with Him instead of your temptation.</p>
<p data-start="1450" data-end="1564"><strong data-start="1450" data-end="1488">2. Make no provision for the flesh</strong><br data-start="1488" data-end="1491" />In today’s words: <em data-start="1509" data-end="1564">Make your habit hard to do, and obedience easy to do.</em></p>
<p data-start="1566" data-end="1579">Ask yourself:</p>
<ul data-start="1581" data-end="1729">
<li data-start="1581" data-end="1608">
<p data-start="1583" data-end="1608">When am I most tempted?</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1609" data-end="1671">
<p data-start="1611" data-end="1671">How can I create roadblocks that make indulging difficult?</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1672" data-end="1729">
<p data-start="1674" data-end="1729">Where can I move, limit, or remove access to the habit?</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="1731" data-end="1882">For example: If your phone derails your day, stop keeping it nearby. No social media before a certain time. Put it in another room during work hours.</p>
<p data-start="1884" data-end="1918">Small barriers create big freedom.</p>
<h2 data-start="1920" data-end="1946"><strong data-start="1924" data-end="1946">Renewing Your Mind</strong></h2>
<p data-start="1947" data-end="1984">Here are a few truths you can use when you’re truth journaling today’s lie:</p>
<ul data-start="1986" data-end="2331">
<li data-start="1986" data-end="2052">
<p data-start="1988" data-end="2052"><em data-start="1988" data-end="2050">Just because I want something doesn’t mean I should do it.</em></p>
</li>
<li data-start="2053" data-end="2125">
<p data-start="2055" data-end="2125"><em data-start="2055" data-end="2123">My life is better when I live by design, not desire.</em></p>
</li>
<li data-start="2126" data-end="2202">
<p data-start="2128" data-end="2202"><em data-start="2128" data-end="2200">One little indulgence isn’t harmless—it reinforces the idea that I have no boundaries.</em></p>
</li>
<li data-start="2203" data-end="2272">
<p data-start="2205" data-end="2272"><em data-start="2205" data-end="2270">If I did everything I felt like doing, my life would be a mess.</em></p>
</li>
<li data-start="2273" data-end="2331">
<p data-start="2275" data-end="2331"><em data-start="2275" data-end="2331">God’s desires for me lead to joy, health, and freedom.</em></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="2333" data-end="2502">Transformation doesn’t happen by willpower. It happens by renewing your mind—catching the lie, replacing it with truth, and practicing that truth one decision at a time.</p>
<p data-start="2504" data-end="2585">And over time?</p>
<p data-start="2504" data-end="2585">Desire stops driving the car. Wisdom does. Truth does. Faith does. God does.</p>
<p data-start="2587" data-end="2625">And <em data-start="2591" data-end="2597">that</em> is when real change begins.</p>
<p><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3a7.png" alt="🎧" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> <strong>Listen to the full episode on the <a href="https://barbraveling.com/christian-podcast/"><em>Christian Habits Podcast</em></a>! </strong>I’ll give you a chance to renew your mind and go more in depth on the topic. <strong>I also share three of my own journal entries on this lie – dating back to 2006!</strong></p>
<h3>Resources Mentioned on the Podcast</h3>
<ul>
<li>Indulgence questions from the Stopping a Habit section of the <a href="https://amzn.to/2sOjCiM"><em>Renewing of the Mind Project</em></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>How to Listen to the Podcast (Christian Habits)</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-habits-podcast/id899589208?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://subscribeonandroid.com/barbraveling.com/feed/podcast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen or subscribe on Android</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=51757&refid=stpr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen or subscribe on Stitcher</a></li>
<li><a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-HUegeqUl__ZcHCIHxdRE6vWfnBvly7I&si=CE2HG0skTVopo5AU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen or subscribe on YouTube Music</a></li>
<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4RiCoYxtkWRm5B4FjXx3lT" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen or subscribe on Spotify</a></li>
<li>Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”</li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://barbraveling.com/lie-i-want-to-do-this-so-i-should/">Lie: I Want to Do This (So I Should)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://barbraveling.com">Barb Raveling</a>.</p>
