Michael Emlet explores the interrelationship of behavioral habits, beliefs, and desires. Habitual actions matter in our sanctification, whether seemingly mundane (brushing your teeth), or seemingly unproblematic (going to the mall), or presumably serious (participating in worship). This article incorporates a review of James K. A. Smith’s Desiring the Kingdom in the context of Emlet’s larger exploration of the significance of habits for counseling.

I saw a billboard on the way to the airport that read:  Thou shalt not commit adultery. It advertised a website that specialized in extra-marital sexual connections for those interested in a little cheating.

 I am speechless. 

Perhaps I am a prudish, self-righteous Bible thumper mired in some version of an old Christian America that is fading away. So I will let someone else speak.

“The counselor says: Homework. The response from the counselee is: slumped shoulders, glazed eyes, slack jaw. It feels like one more burden. It does not feel like “help.” Why is that? Why is something that is supposed to be helpful viewed so negatively?”

“Do not be afraid.” Would you believe that this is the most frequent command in the Bible? More than three hundred times God commands his people to not be afraid. 

The problems that afflict us can be grouped into two categories: suffering and sin. Both are approached with humility and love. Sufferers hear comfort; sinners hear warnings, with comfort waiting on the far side of confession. Yet the author of Hebrews prefers to make the boundary between sin and suffering more permeable. He cautions sufferers about hardening their hearts, warning that it is a backdoor path to sin.

Say “yes” to an invitation and you have been robbed of your freedom. All other options for that evening have been ripped away. What if a better invitation comes along? Too bad, you are beholden to something else. Decisions, indeed, exclude. 

Individuals who struggle with suicidal thoughts experience a great deal of suffering and inner turmoil. Their struggle tends to be a quiet one and rarely do they give others entry into their thoughts. As a result, this struggle can easily go unnoticed by others. But suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. It ranks higher than diabetes, and even homicide.