--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But once you realize that we are not just…" description: "\"“But once you realize that we are not just thinking things but creatures of habit, you’ll then realize that temptation isn’t just about bad ideas or wr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/james-k-a-smith-11405_bad-decisions_but-once-you-realize-that-we-are-not-jus_1035307.png" --- # But once you realize that we are not just thinking things… ![“But once you realize that we are not just thinking things but creatures of habit, you’ll then realize that temptation isn’t just about bad ideas or wrong decisions; it’s often a factor of de-formation and wrongly ordered habits. In other words, our sins aren’t just discrete, wrong actions and bad…” quote by James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/james-k-a-smith-11405_bad-decisions_but-once-you-realize-that-we-are-not-jus_1035307.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/james-k-a-smith-11405_bad-decisions_but-once-you-realize-that-we-are-not-jus_1035307.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/james-k-a-smith-11405_bad-decisions_but-once-you-realize-that-we-are-not-jus_1035307.png) > ““But once you realize that we are not just thinking things but creatures of habit, you’ll then realize that temptation isn’t just about bad ideas or wrong decisions; it’s often a factor of de-formation and wrongly ordered habits. In other words, our sins aren’t just discrete, wrong actions and bad decisions; they reflect vices.25 And overcoming them requires more than just knowledge; it requires rehabituation, a re-formation of our loves. One”” [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human behavior is shaped by ingrained habits; temptation arises from mis‑ordered habits, not just bad ideas. **In simple terms:** Habits drive our choices, not just thoughts. Key Takeaway Re‑shape habits to change temptations. Themes psychology spirituality habit formation Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - addiction recovery Key Concepts vices rehabituation love re‑formation Questions to Reflect On - What habits underlie your temptations? - How can you re‑order your loves? A Different Perspective Changing habits is difficult without supportive environment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-decisions/) [Bad idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-idea/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Once You Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once-you-realize/) [Realize Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-temptation-2387712/) [Sins Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins-aren-2387714/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Temptation Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation-isn-2387713/) [Wrong decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-decisions/) ## Related quotes > [“But let me tell ya, spend every day living only for yourself, every day indulging in little sins that aren’t that big of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-scott/but-let-me-tell-ya-spend-every-day-living-only-for-yourself-every-day/) [Victoria Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-scott/) > [Overcoming temptation isn't easy. There must be commitment to resist it completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-swanson/overcoming-temptation-isn-t-easy-there-must-be-commitment-to-resist/) [Gary Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-swanson/) > [Being faithful isn't hard. Temptation isn't a factor. Nothing can come between a relationship if the bond is in the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-faithful-isn-t-hard-temptation-isn-t-a-factor-nothing-can-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Temptation isn't a sin that you triumph over once, completely and then you're free. Temptation slips into bed with you each night and helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/temptation-isn-t-a-sin-that-you-triumph-over-once-completely-and-then/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Young people in the business have grown up and made the wrong decisions, or bad decisions, and haven't been good role models. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/young-people-in-the-business-have-grown-up-and-made-the-wrong/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [You need someone to guide you otherwise you end up taking wrong decisions and that doesn't really help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/you-need-someone-to-guide-you-otherwise-you-end-up-taking-wrong/) [Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/) > [I know what happens to people who get bullied, they end up thinking they really are no good! 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There again, time passes all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-north/in-life-time-can-t-stand-still-and-it-s-unrealistic-to-attempt-to/) [Freya North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-north/) > [“people say that life is a battle ground and we are warriors.. but what I understood about life is that:- it doesn't operates us..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katyayani-kumari/people-say-that-life-is-a-battle-ground-and-we-are-warriors-but-what/) [KATYAYANI KUMARI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katyayani-kumari/) ## More by James K.A. Smith > [“Jesus is a teacher who doesn’t just inform our intellect but forms our very loves. He isn’t content to simply deposit new ideas into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/jesus-is-a-teacher-who-doesn-t-just-inform-our-intellect-but-forms/) [James K.A. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Discipleship, we might say, is a way to curate your heart, to be attentive to and intentional about what you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/discipleship-we-might-say-is-a-way-to-curate-your-heart-to-be/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Your deepest desire,” he observes, “is the one manifested by your daily life and habits.”6 This is because our action—our doing—bubbles up from our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/your-deepest-desire-he-observes-is-the-one-manifested-by-your-daily/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Foucault. The seemingly disturbing, even Nietzschean claim that “power is knowledge” should push us to realize what MTV learned long ago: (a) the cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/foucault-the-seemingly-disturbing-even-nietzschean-claim-that-power/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“The doubter’s doubt is faith; his temptation is belief, and it is a temptation that has not been entirely quelled, even in a secular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/the-doubter-s-doubt-is-faith-his-temptation-is-belief-and-it-is-a/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Worship works from the top down, you might say. In worship we don’t just come to show God our devotion and give him our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/worship-works-from-the-top-down-you-might-say-in-worship-we-don-t/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“While formally or structurally speaking, there are mechanisms of discipline operative in both the convent and the prison, in both the factory and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/while-formally-or-structurally-speaking-there-are-mechanisms-of/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Antoine de Saint-Exupéry captures this well: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-captures-this-well-if-you-want-to-build-a/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [“Because of this Christian materialism, a catholic postmodernism (or postmodern catholicity) affirms sacramentality on two levels. On the one hand, it affirms a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/because-of-this-christian-materialism-a-catholic-postmodernism-or/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) [Explore all 60 James K.A. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) ## More Bad decisions quotes > [Taking chances for the people you care most about is easy. It's hard to take chances that might mean making bad decisions. 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