I started smoking—and hiding it from my parents—when I was about thirteen years old. Most of my friends were smokers and at that time there were no laws against children buying cigarettes. When we had no money, my friends Tim and Matt could always steal a few Chesterfields from their mom. It was also about that time that I started playing in rock and roll bands and most of the guys I played with smoked. I knew my parents didn't like it but it wasn't a big deal to me; I did lots of things my parents didn't like! Later, when I realized it could become a health issue, I tried to stop but couldn't. Has something like that ever happened to you? Maybe today's passage can help; so let's listen to it:

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity, I said, "I will confess my transgression to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psa. 32:5)

My wife Pam and I were married in 1974. Pam was asthmatic and couldn't be around smokers so I had to go outside to smoke. One night I was sitting outside looking up at the stars when I heard God say in my head, "Dave, if you want to go any further with Me, you're going to have to stop smoking." I had tried to quit many times with no success but I asked God to help me and from that night I stopped smoking. It wasn’t difficult like my many previous failures. I didn't have to exercise will power—God delivered me from smoking in that moment. That doesn't happen to everyone but it happened that way to me. I was fully engaged with smoking. I liked it—but I knew God didn't like it. I confessed it to Him and He helped me. Maybe you have a problem that’s been hard to quit, a habit that you know God doesn't like. I have a saying that goes like this: "We have to start from where we are, not from where we wish we were." God knows us. When we pray and tell the truth we aren't informing Him about anything. Today, tell God the truth about you and your problem. Be honest. Ask Him to help you. When you honestly seek God's help He will forgive you and help you...and that is very Good News!