I never took to the idea of New Year’s resolutions. Why wait until January 1st to put into practice those things you deem important? If I feel the need to exercise more or get organized, I just do it. Call me crazy (or anal retentive—whichever you feel is appropriate,) but it just makes sense. However, as the first of the year approaches, there’s chatter about making changes for 2014.
After a little bit of Google research, I’ve discovered that the most common New Year’s resolutions include goals such as exercise more, lose weight, quit smoking, get organized and work/family balance. I was pleasantly surprised that another goal hit the top ten, as well—volunteer or help people. Every one of these goals, if implemented, will add quality to one’s life. But the truth is, there is almost as much chatter about the difficulty in actually sticking to New Year’s resolutions as there is about making them. What invariably happens in the wake of such failure is guilt and self-recrimination.
I like the idea of looking back over the year and reassessing how I might have grown and where I could use some improvement (this is always the larger list.) Focusing on our failures is of the enemy, not of God, and therefore will do more damage than good. “You can’t go forward when you’re looking in the rear view mirror,” is a quote by motivational coach, Pat Mesiti. It may not be Biblical, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit.
So many people get caught up in their past that they can’t make healthy decisions for their future. I know that I cannot make accurate assessments of my life, and where my focus should be, without the ever crucial God connection. It is through daily quiet time with the Lord, reading His Word, and seeking His will and direction for my life, that I find my focus. Every day we awake is a new opportunity—to learn, to love, to serve.
If I had to make a New Year’s resolution it would be to grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ—because out of that comes every good thing. When we are aware that our bodies are a temple for His Spirit, then we will be less likely to abuse it with cigarettes and alcohol. We might rethink gluttony and laziness (which takes care of eating less and exercising more.) We will have a heart to serve and be productive (requiring us to be organized and open to relational opportunities.) And we would find the value in our family and friends (work/family balance.)
But I don’t think our relationship with Christ should be a New Year’s resolution—it should be a daily resolution. Years ago, my former pastor made a great visual using a pie that I never forgot. He said so many Christians cut their pie (life) into slices. One slice for family, one slice for friends, one slice for work—or whatever else they deem important—and one slice for Jesus Christ. Instead, he said, we should have Christ as the center of the pie (life) from which everything else flows.
Resolve to make Christ the center of your life—and the rest will take care of itself.
Comments 1
You just make sense as usual. Thank you