I know...I'm just as guilty as everyone else but it begins to get tiresome, every year it seems I make a NEW New Year's resolution, or I remake an old New Year's resolution only to fail. How many New Year's resolutions have I made that actully worked, that Isaw thru until the end, that ended just like Ihad planned? Not very many I would guess.
Why do we make New Year's resolutions, why do we make promises to change at the end of every year? I think it's because we feel dead inside, or in bondage and we want something new and invigorating for the New Year. I think this is especially true after Christmas. We put so much stock in Christmas and all of the anticipation for all of the marvelous gifts that we will receive, only to be disappointed because they bought us the wrong blender, or the purse was the wrong color, or the coat didn't fit. We need something to hope in, something that we think will fill a void that is left in us after the let down of the material, worldly let downs.
These lead us to being sad and disappointed, thus a resolution to make the new year different, better, and in the end to make ourselves or our life better or different in the end.
So what are the resolutions that we make? The first one that I think comes to everyones head is to lose weight? Admirable, and a healthy goal. But the crux of the matter is you need to determine why you need to lose weight. Is it to feel better, breath better, look better, be healthier, or to fit into those jeans from 10 years ago that you just need to give to someone younger and thiner. But, ultimately, why are we unhappy with our bodies. I believe it is because too much of our identity is wrapped up in our looks and what others think of us. Jesus says:
Luke 12:22-24 - then Jesus said to his disciples: "therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23:Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24:Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
So if we listen to Jesus...he says that our focus shouldn't be our body or what we eat, but who we are and living with him. He is in charge of making sure we have what we need including food, so if we focus on him, and not the food that is always in front of us, he will make sure we keep our appetites in check.
The next new years resolution that I think I've often made is to find success. What is success? Who determines what success is? Are we talking about earthly success or heavenly success? I think again we are looking to fill a void and find our identity in the success that our culture tells us we need Corporate America teaches us that to be successful you must sell your soul for their company and live for the company. The word of God says that our success comes from the Lord, not from this world.
2 Ch 26:5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.
It's when we seek people or seek approval that we become addicted to success and need that success as some need food. If we make Jesus our the center of our life, He will give us success. That may not be the success that our culture tells us we need, but it will be a success that is everlasting
The next resolution that I know I have made, is to treat people better and to show the love of Jesus to them. The key to this one is to do it thru His power and Word and not our own strength or understanding. When we feel like we cannot possibly love those that He has put in our path, He can give us the grace to supernaturally love like never before.
Jesus says: Phil 4:12 and 13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. <b>I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
He will give us His strength and His Grace to love those that are unlovable.
So what are these resolutions doing for us? Possibly making us more depressed because we don't seem to be able to keep them. I am excited to say, that if we make Jesus Christ our New Years Resolution, we can keep them. He is our strength, our motivation, our power, our discipline, our inspiration our encourager. Thru Him, not thru myself, I can accomplish anything. To do this, our eyes must be on HIM, for He is the author and finisher of our Faith, our purpose, our life, our eternity. We are nothing without Him..He gave up His son so that we could live forever with Him. But yet we continue to search for fulfillment in the things of this world, the material gifts from others, the successes that man says we must have and the physique that this culture says we should have.
But...all we need is Jesus - He is my 2012 New Years Resolution. I want Jesus, I want to share Jesus, I want more revelation of Jesus and I want to meet him in the sky....soon!!!
Make your 2012 New Years Resolution Jesus. I promise you, the other things will fade and not be as important. Christ will give you new desires that are fulfilled thru Him and they will be secondary once you truly see the love He has for you and the purpose He has placed on your life.
Jesus- the New Year Resolution
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