Blueprint - 7 Steps in Overcoming Your Weaknesses

1. Identify the Standard

Jesus Christ epitomizes what a Christian should be. He is patient, kind, humble, merciful, sacrificial, and was found sinless. Therefore, if we are to live an overcoming life, Christ is the yardstick by which we should measure our spiritual success. Yes, we know our fleshly body confines us to an imperfect life, but the strength of His Holy Spirit, once we make use of it, and the example of how He lived while on earth can help us to triumph over our weaknesses.

"Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." Romans 12: 2

2. Self-Analysis

Having found the standard that you should follow, you must now identify the areas where you have matched up to God and those areas that create a distance between you and Him. Self-evaluation should not become self-obsession where we are always thinking about how we feel about ourselves and how others feel about us. Instead, it should be a clear-minded assessment of ourselves through the lens of Christ. We should therefore keep this age-old question in mind: 'what would Jesus do?'

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24

3. Identify Your Triggers

Identifying triggers is an important factor in overcoming your besetting negative habits. For example, triggers for alcoholics can be loneliness, stress, and social settings like a bar or club. If an Alcoholic is committed to his/her recovery, then they will do their best to avoid these situations. As Christians, we must identify our 'weak spots' and do everything to avoid and ultimately strengthen them.

"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away." James 1:14

4. Set Boundaries

The statement, 'if you play with fire, you will get burned' typifies the crippling effects of weak or non-existing boundaries. The purpose of creating boundaries is to protect yourself from people and situations that may lead you down a broken path. In the same way, walls were built to guard cities in the Bible, and we have to create healthy boundaries lest we are left vulnerable, defenseless, and susceptible to falling back into old patterns.

"He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down without walls." Proverbs 25:28.

5. Replace Negative Habits with Good Ones

It will be difficult to stop engaging in harmful behavior if you do not have better habits to replace them. This is because negative habits, over time, become second nature and tend to fill a gap. So, if you have decided to stop being uncaring to others, in addition, to stop saying unkind words to them and about them, you can also volunteer in ways that directly serve others. For example, you could give a unique item, volunteer in a Ministry, or spend some time giving back to others in your community.

"But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil "Hebrews 5:14

6. Find an Accountability Partner

An accountability partner can help you identify your weaknesses, give you the advice to overcome them, and hold you accountable for action. We are less likely to give up on our spiritual goals if we have someone to report to. This is because we often worry less about letting ourselves down and are more concerned about disappointing others. This means it is life-saving to find someone we trust and share the values that can support us in our Christian journey.

"Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14

7. Maintain Humility

Remaining humble keeps us in a child-like state. Children know there is so much they need to learn, and they are eager to do so. If we get obsessed with our accomplishments, we will ignore our shortcomings, leaving no room for growth. With humility, we can live an overcoming life because we become acutely aware of our fallen state and ever so grateful for the love and ongoing mercies of God.

"The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor." Proverbs 18:12