TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE - BUILDING HABITS
You Don’t Need More Willpower — You Need Holy Habits
If you’ve ever told yourself, “This time will be different,” only to fall back into the same patterns a few weeks later… Keep reading…
In this post, we’re briefly diving into habit building, behavior patterns, and the way God intentionally designed our minds to change. Whether you want to start working out in the mornings, quit drinking soda, respond with more patience, stop smoking, or eat in a way that actually honors your body—this applies to you.
And before we go any further, let me say this …
You don’t need to understand neuroscience to build habits.
You just need to trust that God is powerful, intentional, and not random—and that your mind can help you reach your goals. Understanding this as a coach, though, has made me a powerful weapon.
Being a former WWE Superstar or a Division I athlete doesn’t automatically make someone a great coach. Those experiences open doors—and I’m grateful for that—but what truly changes lives is understanding behavior patterns and the creator behind it all.
Before you keep reading, pause.
Grab a pen. Open your notes app.
Make a list of the habits or behavior patterns you want to change.
Then pray over it.
couple practical tips:
replacement
Here’s one of the most important principles of habit change:
It’s easier to add a habit than subtract one.
Instead of saying:
“I’m going to stop drinking soda”
Try:
“I’m going to drink 80 ounces of water per day”
The brain hates emptiness. If you remove a behavior without replacing it, something else will fill the gap—and it’s usually not better.
intentional cues
To stay hydrated, Joe and I use something we jokingly call a “water towel.”
We keep a blue towel on our kitchen counter with three cups sitting on it. All day long, we fill them with ice water and leave them right there.
It’s simple.
It’s kind of silly.
And it works.
Why? Because the environment becomes the cue.
Another go to is set your workout clothes out the night before next to your bed.
Cravings and temptations
Every habit is driven by a craving—not the behavior itself.
If we don’t recognize what we’re actually craving, we wander through life reacting instead of choosing. Think about it:
A Cinnabon isn’t placed randomly in the mall. They want their smell to drift through hallways uninterrupted.
Those pulls aren’t accidental.
And not all cravings are physical. Some are spiritual.
The Holy Spirit Is Your Greatest Weapon
There are mechanisms that help us resist temptation—and the most powerful one is the Holy Spirit.
This is why daily prayer is such a game changer.
Cravings do not have authority over you.
When God is invited into your habits, you don’t just resist bad ones—you begin to create good cravings that work for you instead of against you.
Mindfulness Changes Everything
We don’t want to live as “wandering generalities.”
We want to become meaningful specifics.
Sin—and unwanted behavior patterns—thrive in mindlessness.
It’s actually very hard to fall into old habits when you’re fully present.
Honoring God Through Movement
If you want to start working out in the mornings, don’t overcomplicate it.
Pick one simple cue:
Lay your workout clothes next to your bed the night before.
Then choose a clear reward:
A protein-packed breakfast
A sense of accomplishment
Or the endorphins your brain releases after movement
Cue + reward starts the habit.
But for it to last, something deeper has to happen.
Why Habits Take Time (And Why That’s Biblical)
You’ve probably heard that it takes 21 or 66 days to build a habit.
I think God was more specific than that.
Why does 40 show up over and over in Scripture?
40 days in the wilderness
40 days of fasting
40 days of testing
40 days of transformation
There’s something powerful about sustained obedience—long enough for the heart and the mind to shift.
Modern neuroscience confirms this:
Repeated behaviors strengthen neural pathways
Neglected pathways weaken
Romans 12:2 wasn’t poetic.
It was precise.
“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
That’s not metaphor.
That’s mechanics.
Change Happens Little by Little
God doesn’t demand extremes.
He meets us where we are.
Transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It happens daily, quietly, consistently.
And one day you look up and realize:
You’re doing things differently
Old habits don’t pull as hard
New patterns feel natural
Why The Holy Habits Project Exists
This is exactly why I created The Holy Habits Project.
A structured season of renewal rooted in:
Faith
Behavior science
And community support
If you’re tired of starting over…
If you love Jesus but struggle with discipline…
If you want habits that actually last…
You don’t need more willpower.
You need wisdom.
You need structure.
You need support.
And most importantly—you need God at the center.
If this resonated with you, I’d love to walk this journey with you inside Holy Habits.
Apply for The Holy Habits Project on therefinerymovement.com
Wherever you’re starting from—you’re welcome here. 🤍