Judges 16:15-17 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. 17 So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

I love chocolate donuts, even though my dentist warned me about developing cavities. I ignored his advice to stop eating sweets. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my tooth and called him, only to hear that I needed to have it pulled. I thought I had learned my lesson, but as soon as I felt better, I stopped at the store to buy more chocolate donuts. I’ve Gotta Stop Messing With Them!

Far too often, we let our taste override our common sense.   We are left emotionally broken from having to pay the price. Do you know how hard it is to break a habit even when it is not good for you?

Psychologists have pinned cognitive dissonance as the primary factor. It is a phenomenon that occurs when an individual’s actions conflict with their beliefs, values, and goals. For example, knowing you want to lose weight for the summer but can’t find time to exercise. The snare that often entraps us is rationalizing the behavior instead of making the necessary adjustments. Stop making excuses and start making an exit strategy.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Our focal text, featuring Samson, shows the challenge of navigating a toxic cycle. Just like the Philistines offered Delilah the highest amount to betray Samson, some people are investing in your breakdown. They want to see what it will take for you to give up, but Dr. Jamal Bryant declared over the church that you will not sell out on your commitment to God! God has given you the power to break free from every unhealthy soul tie. You won’t return to what was designed to hurt you. Start with why, and Stop Messing With Them, because who the Son set free is free indeed.