What If?

Tonight I was sitting in our "Library," enjoying our brightly lit Christmas tree, reflecting on this past year and wondering about the year to come.  

I know, I know. 'Tis the season for memories to be remembered and resolutions to be made. But I wasn't thinking about the memorable moments of this year. I wasn't even coming up with a list in my head of what I want to change come 2016. 

I'll tell you what I was thinking about. I was thinking about the things I walked through and the ways I grew these past twelve months. And I was thinking about how much potential lie in the next twelve. 

This year was crazy, guys. I got my first real job ("Welcome to Walgreens!"). I watched my siblings move thousands of miles away. I made new friends. I grew closer to old friends. I got involved in my church. I became an aunt...again. I found out I'm going to be basically-an-aunt next Spring. I lost thirteen pounds. I applied to community college and registered for classes. I got my first smartphone. Like, lots of craziness and fun and hard stuff. Lots of it.

But I'm not writing to tell you about my reflections regarding this year.
I'm writing to talk to you about the musings I had for the year to come.

You see I started thinking to myself, "I wonder where I'll be in a year?" Which led to a lot of "What if..?" statements. Some examples! "What if school doesn't work out?" "What if I lose even more weight?" "What if I'm not single come next Christmas?" What if, what if, what if!

The What Ifs of life are enough to drive anyone crazy! But as my mind was spinning, you know what came to mind? God's got this. He had this whole year - He's had my whole life - He's got the next twelve months.

Maybe that seems like an unnecessary point to make because duh! Everyone knows that, LauraBeth. But think about it. Really think about it. Why get nervous or anxious about the What Ifs - the unkowns - of life? Why not, instead, take advantage of the awesome peace that comes from trusting a God who knows what He's doing?

I almost wasn't going to write this tonight. Know why? Because the first thought that went through my mind was "What if I'm not qualified to share this?"

But I did write it because of the very next thought: "What if God wants someone to read it?"

Peter's Opportunity

Literally just moments ago, I was reading in the book of Acts when I read one phrase that grabbed hold of me and would not let go. It was one of those moments I knew I had to share with all of you.

This is the phrase I read: Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd.

In the beginning of chapter three we meet this nameless beggar who has been lame since birth and because of this defect, has been reduced to begging at the temple gate. Along come Peter and John and the guy asks them for money just like he's probably asked a thousand people that day. But Peter says to him, "We don't have money but we'll give you what we do have: The power of Christ in us." And in the name of Jesus, Peter commands the man to walk and he's instantly healed. He celebrates by walking and leaping and praising God (any old school church goer has that one song stuck in their heads now. You're welcome) and this draws the attention of the crowd around him because he has never walked before let alone leaped. This is when Peter sees his opportunity and takes hold of it.

Now while the whole idea of giving what we can and seeing God's power at work through our weakness would make an amazing post in an of itself it's that phrase, "Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd" that gets me. He wasn't going to the temple with the intention of speaking to the people there. He was going to pray (verse 1, yo). But then he healed a man in Jesus' name and that lead to the chance to say, "Guys! We did not do this. God did this. He's pretty great. He's given you salvation. Take hold of it and receive blessing and an eternity with Him."

My point and my challenge is this: When we see an opportunity to promote God's greatness, do we take it? Or do we just sit there and smile and think to ourselves, "If only they knew."

Well how is anyone supposed to know if we don't tell them? Go tell someone how good God is! It might just be what they need to hear!

P.S. I'M BA-ACK!

Pass the Blame, Take the Credit

"It's not my fault!" 

How often do we find ourselves saying or even thinking these words? A few weeks ago I would've told you that I never say that but I've since realized that I do say it. A lot. To my mother. Her response? "I know - nothing is ever your fault." Insert mutual eye-roll here.

Not one on of us likes to be blamed, even when we are responsible; we'd rather pass it off. What's worse is that not only do we declare ourselves innocent but we attempt to explain why we're not guilty. We can always find an excuse for why nothing is ever our fault.

Just the other day, my boss commented that there was product in the stockroom that was my responsibility to take care of. Because the tone he used made it sound to me like I should have known that, I got defensive and responded with, "Oh. No one told me." I think it would have been better to just take care of it without comment because I'm not responsible for his attitude, only my own.

On the other hand...I've receivedthat! When my boss acknowledges a job well-done, I accept the commendation with pleasure. Why? Because I deserve it, of course.
compliments from my bosses for doing well at various tasks. Any  reward for doing a good job? I'll take a second serving of

Why do I believe I deserve praise but not reproof? We're so quick to take responsibility for the good and even quicker to deny responsibility for the bad. It's a terribly typical attitude and I know I'm not the only personal to struggle with it. 

What to do? What to do?
How do we overcome the urge to make excuses for ourselves?

Well, it's easier when you really are to blame. Just own it. Acknowledge that you did something wrong or didn't do something right, apologize and make the necessary change.

But when you're not to blame...Or feel you're not to blame...Or you're on the defense because somebody's tone or body language offended you...What about then? That's super hard for me, but I've created a rather useful phrase that I try to remember in such situations: You don't need to point out that it's not your fault.

Here's the thing folks. You're gonna mess up, I'm gonna mess up, we're all gonna mess up. It's part of being human. It's also for human-like to blame others for things they didn't do, so we're going to get blamed for things that aren't our fault. All we can do is, no matter the situation, check our attitude.

Take pleasure in a "Good job" comment from your boss.
And take responsibility for your "Coulda done better" mistakes.
You deserve it.

Back in the Adventure

You know the saying, "I have my moments?" Well, I don't have moments. I have months.

It has been a very long time since I've posted and tonight I'm not even sure what I want to say except this: Thanks for hanging in there. And I'm back.

I've wanted to write again for a long time but haven't. Why? Well, sometimes life happened. And sometimes I didn't think I should. And sometimes...Sometimes I just chose to do something else with my time.

But tonight I am back. I'm tired and life is crazy and I want to talk about it, but it will have to wait for a couple of days.

But I am back.

Stick with me? We'll see what God does together ;)

What's Not to Love?

It was picture perfect: Beautiful, grandiose evergreens. A serene lake, the midday sun glinting off its waters. A light warm breeze and near silence. The only thing that was out of place was the restless, discontent heart of the young woman taking all of this in. 

As she first found herself noting the creation around her, she only wanted one thing. She wanted someone to share it with, someone who could appreciate creation's beauty as much she could. Someone who could even appreciate her for who she is - quirks and all - without wanting her to be something else. These are the desires that made her heart feel like it was breaking.

Then the Voice of Truth spoke to her spirit. He said. "You are looking to be accepted, loved and cherished by the created beings around you. What you don't realize is that you are already accepted, loved and cherished by Me, the Creator of you. I'm not looking for you to be someone you're not. I created you with your idiosyncrasies, so why would I look to change those?"

Her heart swelled and tears filled her eyes as she realized that she was wanted by the One who determined that she would exist.

Then she had another realization: There were millions of young women who shared her little boat. They wanted to know they were loved and desired but what they didn't know was that there was Someone who wants them and loves them now.

So from that young woman with a broken heart to those whose hearts are breaking, too: You look at you and think, "I must be thinner, less boisterous and more athletic to be lovely." But God looks at you thinks, "What's not to love?"

We Remember

Hamburgers. Country music. Red, white and blue. Today we celebrate.

Do we think about what we're celebrating?

We're celebrating the lives of those who've died to defend their country. We're celebrating the freedom we have because they were willing to sacrifice everything.

We take it all for granted. 

I know that I've never been directly affected by the death of a soldier. And I know I'm not the only one. 

But I also know that there are more people who have been affected. Their lives have been changed because a husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, best friend, co-worker, church member never came home. These lives will never be the same. The wound may heal but there will always be a scar.

So I say to those who have lost someone or know someone who has: Your pain is important. Your pain is valid. You suffer the pain of loss on behalf of everyone else who hasn't. I don't envy you, I don't pity you, but I do thank you. I thank you for being strong even when you don't think you can make it another day. I thank you for the service and sacrifice of your loved one because I can't thank them myself. 

And I say to those who cannot imagine such pain: Stop. Think. Thank. Be grateful. Praise God for our freedom and pray for those whose lives now contain a gaping hole. 

Freedom isn't free. Anyone who has lost someone knows this.

Thank you to the men and women who have died so I can live in freedom.

And thank you to their families who endure the loss and who have persevered.

Your sacrifice is remembered.

What I Learned

Hello all!

Remember when I told you I was house-sitting for some friends of mine? I told you that my goals were to grow in my relationship with God and discern His leading for the next steps of life. I even asked for your prayers as I strove to meet these goals.

Well, I have three things to say. First off, I thank you for your prayers. God did show up and some things did happen.

The second is this: I failed. I was not consistent in my walk with God. I did not spend nearly as much time with Him as  I had opportunity to do so. I spent more time watching TV than reading my Bible. I did more snacking on junk food than feasting on the Bread of Life.

But I do have one more thing to say. Even though I did not accomplish my goals, I did learn some things. I learned that a perfect environment and ideal circumstances are not enough to keep a relationship going. There has to be communication. Just being aware of someone's presence isn't knowing them. You need to talk to them, listen to them. These are the fundamentals of communication. When you add honesty (about your hopes, fears, dreams and struggles) and humility (admitting your errors, your weaknesses) the relationship goes from basic to thriving.

I learned that this is how I renew and maintain a relationship with my Creator: talking to Him (prayer, journaling) and listening to Him (through His Word, sermons, God-honoring music) as well as being honest and humble before Him.

I could be alone on the wooded shore of a placid lake or in a store surrounded by a million people and still have a wonderful relationship with my heavenly Father. If only I communicate.

What are some ways that you encourage communication with God in your own life?
Comment below!

A Request

Hi everyone! I am alive, I promise. But I'm composing this post to let you in on something and to make a shameless request. Here goes...

First off, I won't be posting as frequently as I should like over the next several weeks because I'm currently house-sitting for a family friend. I'm planning to use this time of much-needed solitude for better purposes than internet. What could be better? Working on long-standing projects, for one. But mainly, to grow closer to my Creator and to seek His heart regarding life's next steps.

This brings me to my shameless request. It's shameless because I know that a lot of my readers are my brothers and sisters in Christ. That being so, I would ask for your prayers for me during this time. Pray that God would become more real and wonderful to me than He has in a long time. Pray that my heart would be open to letting Him in and letting Him change the things that need to be changed. And especially pray that I would be yielded to His plan and that He might make something clear to me, even if that something is that I would be more trusting of His sovereignty and provision.





Would you do that for me? I would really appreciate it!

I will definitely keep you posted if not during these weeks, than after :)

Love and prayers!

If we understood His grace, He wouldn't be God

I am a sinner. I commit the same sins every day. And because I do this, I feel so much shame. I feel dirty and guilty. And because I feel ashamed and guilty and dirty I feel I am unreachable, unforgivable. And this? This is all pride.
 
When I sin, to believe I am unforgivable is to say the Christ's painful sacrifice on the Cross was not good enough. As if there is something I would do that Christ's blood didn't quite wipe out. And this is pride. It's pride because it places my sin above Christ's work of redemption. And pride? Pride is a sin. Thus the cycle begins anew.
 
However, there is something that can break this cycle. Something so awe-inspiring and beautiful and wonderful. That something is grace. But not just any grace - God's grace. The grace that says, "While you were still dirty and guilty, I died for you. Because I love you. It has nothing to do with what you did or could ever do. It has everything to do with what I was capable of."
 
But why? Why should I - a repetitive sinner - be the recipient of such amazing grace? That's just the thing. There is no reason. At least no reasonable reason. There is only this: Christ's great love. It is this love that fuels His unmerited favor towards us. See that word, "Unmerited?" It means that there is nothing I can do to earn it. Which means there is also nothing I can do to lose it.
 
This grace is truly mind-blowing. I don't understand it. And for so long that has been so hard for me. Because if I could see no reason that this grace was given to me, then it must not have been given. And I must be completely helpless and hopeless.
 
But one day, on a cold walk, a ray of sun pierced the painful darkness surrounding my heart. I became blissfully aware that I do not deserve God's grace. But still He has given it to me. And I don't understand. And why should I? If I understood why God does what He does - why He loves me - He would be too small. He wouldn't be God.
 
"Although my memory is fading, I remember two things quite clearly: I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." - John Newton, in the film Amazing Grace

God's Love in the Trials

"I know Your plan is perfect. I know Your way is best. But sometimes it's hard to see."
Can you relate?

 I found myself praying those words this morning as I opened up to God about the trials I'm facing. This week has been a long and hard week, but I'm starting to see more clearly than I have in several months. You see, I don't have a job. Not because I don't want one, but because it hasn't "worked out" yet. I've applied - even interviewed - but time after time, nothing happened. That's my greatest trial. Then there's general discontent with my life: I'm unmarried (thus not a mommy), I'm not as successful as other people my age, I still live at home, I don't have one of those "really important" degrees. These are my trials, my hard stuff, my Lumpy Mess of Unending Changelessness.

And for months I have been overwhelmed, feeling as if I'd be stuck here forever. But this week, I read something that started the chipping away of that Lumpy Mess. I was reading the bit in Romans about how nothing can separate us from the love of God and I came across this verse:

"None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us." (8:37; MSG; emphasis mine)

Wow. So simple yet so powerful. Absolutely nothing and no one can faze - disturb or daunt - us. At least they shouldn't be able to.

As fantastic of a truth as this is, it's much easier to read it on a paper than to live it out. It wasn't two days after I read this that I cried myself to sleep because I couldn't see an end to the Changlessness. It's so hard to trust that what is going on doesn't surprise God and may, in fact, be part of His plan. Even though I know in my head that He's got this. Romans 9 makes that so clear.

"What God did in this case [His plan concerning Jacob and Esau] made it perfectly clear that His purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by His decision, flowing steadily from His initiative." (9:11b-12a; MSG)

He knows what's going to happen, He knows what He's going to use to get my life to a certain point. My job is to trust Him, even when I can't see.

Still, knowing He has a plan - even those great days when I trust Him - doesn't take away the painful fear of the unknown. On their album Made, Hawk Nelson has a song called "Through the Fire" and the chorus goes as follows:

Why does it hurt if You love me? Why does it hurt if You're all I need? Why does it hurt if Your light's alive inside of me? Then why can't, why can't I just believe You mean good for me?

I'm beginning to think it's normal for Believers to struggle with trusting that God's got our best interests at heart. It's even normal to be afraid to trust Him. Fear's going to be there because we are only human. However, our fear should not determine our bottom line. Instead, we should take all the fear and doubt and uncertainty and run straight into God's arms with it.

How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for He has been good to me. (Psalm 13; NIV; emphasis mine)

Pour out your heart to Him. Tell Him every thought, every fear, every desire - no matter how ugly - and then choose to trust Him. Choose to trust that He knows what He's doing. 

I don't know what your trials are. I don't know if you have job you hate. I don't know if your marriage is rocky or your kids are making heartbreaking choices. I don't know if you're worn out from trying to keep up with the Joneses or if you're out-growing your home. I don't know where you are in life. But there is one thing I do know: God loves you. And His love can carry you through the hardest of trials.

How have you seen God work through your trials? How do you see Him working now? What are some practical steps you've taken to trust Him? Comment below!

 

When the Going Gets Tough

Ever have those days...or weeks...or months when it seems as if nothing is going as it should? You're saving every penny you earn, yet it never seems to add up. You're looking as hard as you can for a job, but you're not what they're looking for. You're praying daily for leading on a decision but never find the answer. Whatever your Big Thing, it makes those days feel like weeks, weeks feel like months and months feel like years. I've been there. I'm there I'm right now. And even if a switch is flipped tomorrow and everything works out, I'll be there again someday. We all have and will experience times like these.  

 

If you're anything like me, your response is likely to give up too easily. I'd rather escape than face it. It's easier to plug in the headphones and drown out the world than it is to put yourself out there and have the world shut you down. Or maybe you're more like me on my better days. You stick it out, do everything you can to chip away at the Lumpy Mess of Unending Changlessness. But after two hours spent applying for two jobs, listening to a variety of Celtic tunes and drinking so much water and coffee that you could sail away...That lump is still just as big and you just feel tired. My point is that whatever version of me you are, sooner or later you're not going to be enough. You'll either run out of Amazon Prime movies or job postings and you'll be forced to face the reality of the Lumpy Mess: You. Can't. Do. Anything. To. Fix. It. What then? Well, I'm going to let the Negative Me and the Positive Me answer in their own words.

 

NEGATIVE ME (normal Michigan accent)

"What then?" Well, assuming I managed to actually take a break from "Doctor Who" and look at a couple of job postings...It's back to the world of Who for me. After all, it's such a nice change to see someone face a bad situation head-on and actually be clever enough to fix it and after forty-two minutes, everyone's safe (well...except for one or two. But they were dispensable. Unless it was the Ponds) and happy (except for when the Ponds were taken). On the whole, things are okay. I'd rather spend my time watching bad-turn-to-good than having to figure out how to change my own bad to good. After all, I've done all I can so there's nothing left to do but wait. In the meantime, might as well do something, right? So if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to the Doctor and my snacks.

 

POSTIVE ME (smooth, elegant British accent)

Excuse all of that negativity you just read! Those really are not the days of which I'm most proud. On my better days, I am actually inclined to a more positive attitude. After all, I managed quite a lot, didn't I? It may have been only two applications but that's two more than I had done, regardless of how tired it caused me to be. Thus, I feel it is appropriate to reward my hard work. I think a bowl of ice cream and a movie are fitting, wouldn't you say? So please excuse me. I must drown my discouragement -- I mean, reward my efforts.

 

See? Whichever version you are, you end up as a couch potato by the end of the day. And what does that get ya? Absolutely nothing. I propose that there is a better way to exist under the circumstances of the Lumpy Mess of Unending Changelessness.

 

I'm going to get right to it because I don't have the time to dance around the issue (Seriously, I have to leave in an hour). There is a better and more right way to handle life, even when it doesn't go our way: Hand-in-hand with Christ, relying on Him to be all we need. I say "even when" because as Believers, I think we find it easier to walk side-by-side with God when the road is smooth and straight. I know I do. But we're not talking smooth a straight,  we're talking choppy, winding, and unmarked. Like trying to find your seats at an outdoor music festival. After dark. Almost impossible and totally exhausting.

 

It's these frustrating and depressing times in life when we need the arms of Jesus most. And it's these times when I, at least, find it hardest to run to Him. What can He do that I can't? The truth is, everything. He can do everything that I can't do. He can provide just as much as I need exactly when I need it. He can take my hand and lead me even when I can't see the road ahead. He can give me the strength and courage and resourcefulness I require. All I gotta do is run to Him, make Him my refuge, my safe place. Let Him and His grace be enough for my Big Thing.

 

And that's all you have to do.

 

Psalm 91 is an amazing chapter full of little golden nuggets of wonderful truths about a Journey walked hand-in-hand with God. We can find rest in Him. He can rescue us, protect us. We have no reason to be afraid or to dread the darkness of this life. We don't have to be enslaved to sin because He holds us up and He gives us the victory. He gives us salvation and eternal life. He. Will. Be. With. Us.

 

How do we get this? We make Him our shelter, our refuge, our safe place. That means that when the going gets tough, we get going - straight to Him. We spend time daily seeking Him through His Word and through honest, heart-revealing prayer. We share with Him every detail of our lives, every desire of our hearts, our fears; we hold nothing back. And when running to Him becomes our default setting in hard times, we will find that He provides everything we need. And when we can't see how it's all going to work out, we still trust Him to be faithful. And when it doesn't work out how we would have chosen, we trust His plan.

Go read Psalm 91. What little golden nuggets stick out to you?

 

 

 

 

 

Resolutions Part 2: Application

Happy Thursday all!

On Monday, we talked about New Year's Resolutions. We defined Resolutions and even touched a bit on how they fit into our Walk with God. Today I want us to dive deeper into the idea of making Resolutions a part of our relationship with our Creator: why they're a good idea and tools to help us put them into action.

Like I said in my last post, Believers are called to become more like Christ everyday. This really boils down to making a choice: to glorify God or indulge self. Every time we make a choice with the purpose of bringing glory to our Father, we take another step towards being like Christ. Every time we make a choice to gratify ourselves, we miss out on the blessing of a righteous life. 

In Romans 6, Paul compares life under sin's rule and life under God's rule. He calls on us (the readers) to remember what it was like when we cared only about ourselves and what we wanted to do. He reminds us that "the more you did just what you felt like doing - not caring about others, not caring about God - the worse your life became and the less freedom you had" (v. 19; MSG). Conversely when we discovered what it was like to listen to God and to put His Truth into practice, we experienced a "whole, healed, put-together life" (v. 22; MSG).

While our point of initial salvation freed us from the tyranny and punishment (eternal life in hell) of sin, we can still make choices that enslave us again. Paul writes, "So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom" (Rom. 6:15-16; MSG). He encourages us not to use the freedom we've gained in Christ for the purpose of sinning, but rather to accomplish that which is pleasing to our Creator (Gal. 5:13). I think all of this shows how Resolutions - determined and firm purposes - can help to enhance our daily Walk. If we make the decision to rely on God's strength to make the right choices in our everyday life, we will begin to look more like Christ and less like the world. This is why biblically-based Resolutions are a fantastic idea!

Now how do we stick this out and avoid giving up in "the first day of the second month?" (Yes, I just quoted myself.) I think the first really good thing you can do is WRITE IT OUT. As you prayerfully consider what things God might want to change in you, write them down. I haven't yet made an actual list on paper (though I talk to God about them pretty regularly) but it's not a bad idea. Write them down and then put them somewhere you'll see them everyday (I think I might take my own advice...)

After you've written them down, it might be a good idea to share them with someone close to you who can support you, encourage you and keep you accountable (yes, that might hurt sometimes but it's good). I informally shared mine with my mom and my sister. I even made mention of them to a close friend (that's three people who now have the right to get on my case). I'll even share them with you, so you can see kinda where I'm hoping this year will lead...

1. Spend time with God and in His Word every morning. I desire to have a greater intimacy with my Creator by the end of the year than I do now. The best way to do that? Talking with Him, listening to Him and making Him my safe place. (Ps. 91; I John 2:15)
2. Love God and others like Christ would. I became very aware of how selfish my love for my Father and those around me has been. It's often determined by what's convenient for me. I know this is not a healthy or godly way to live, so I'm seeking to change it. (I Jn. 2:6; 3:11, 16, 18, 23)
3. Make better choices regarding food and movement (we're ignoring the word "exercise"). I honestly do not live a very healthy lifestyle. I struggle everyday with the drive to eat however much I want of whatever I want whenever I want it. I realized that this is abusing the body God gave me and it really affects how I feel (both physically and emotionally). I want to live a better life which means making better choices. (I Cor. 6:19-20)

It's a really, really great idea to open up and share these because, at the least, it makes you more conscious of when you aren't sticking to your resolutions (I'll talk a bit more about this in a second).

After you've written them down and shared them, BACK IT UP. Search Scripture for passages that reinforce the changes you want to make and the lessons you want to learn. I'm serious - it goes a long way to help you glorify God through those changes. Memorize those verses or at least put them in a visible place. Meditate on them daily and pray them out.

Now guys, I want you to be aware of something: You are human. You are not perfect. You will fail. I've already failed and it's only been 8 days! But you want to know what I'm learning? I'm learning that it's better to take the hand of Grace and ask God to pick you up, dust you off and help you start over. When those times come and you feel so discouraged and ready to give up, I want you to pray two Scripture verses:

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 NIV

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 NIV; emphasis mine

God has been using these to teach me the power of His grace, the fact that His grace beats sin every time and He can give me a fresh start every day. Pray for the grace and strength to make good choices one day at a time. 

So what are your resolutions? Feel free to comment and I'll see you around. Until then,

Prayers and love!

Resolutions Part 1: Definition

Well, it's the New Year - 2015 is here. And what do we think of when a new year begins? New Year's Resolutions! Most of my life, I have not cared to make New Year's Resolutions. Well...That's not entirely true. I've made them, but I've never kept them. I mean, Resolutions are like rules, right? They're made to be broken. So I would make them with absolutely no intention of keeping them. 

 

Since this week is the first full week of the new year and it marks the beginning of my 2015 blog posts, I thought it fitting to write about New Year's Resolutions as I have actually made some that I intend to stick to. "What are they," you ask? All in good time, my dear reader. 

 

First I think it's a good idea to define this word, "Resolution." I think knowing the meaning of something is extremely helpful in the application process. I employed one of my favorite online resources to help us accomplish this goal: Dictionary.com (If you didn't know, I'm a word nerd. And unashamed). Dictionary.com defines a resolution as "a resolve; a decision or determination" and "the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose." These New Year's Resolutions that people make are meant to be enacted. They are born of determination and firmness of purpose.  

 

Now that we are all clear on the dictionary's definition of a resolution, let's look at it from a different perspective. Let's consider Resolutions as a Christ-follower might. What does the Bible have to say about this idea of New Year's Resolutions? As far as I know, nothing. It's not like Hezekiah 1:15 says, "Each year you must vow to change at least three things you hate about yourself. However, the chances are great that you will give up by the first day of the second month." There isn't even a book called Hezekiah!  

 

While Scripture doesn't overtly address yearly resolutions, it does make it clear that there ought to be a constant changing going on in the life of a Believer. We should consistently be resolving (see what I did there?) to be more like Christ. I John 2:6 explicitly says, "Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did." (NIV) I also like how The Message puts it: "Anyone who claims intimacy with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus." And The Amplified really brings it home: "Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself." I don't think it could be presented more clearly than that. If you call yourself a Christian your lifestyle ought to look like Christ's. 

 

So here's a quick recap: a resolution as defined by the dictionary is "a resolve; a decision or determination; firmness of purpose." And as defined by Scripture a resolution is a decision to live like Christ. I definitely think that the dictionary definition can be useful when it comes to putting the Scriptural definition into practice. 

 

I want you to be giving some serious and prayerful thought to anything in your life that doesn't measure up to the example of Christ. Maybe there's a lesson you know He's been wanting to teach you for a while, but you've run away from it. Maybe there's just some area in your life - like loving others - that could use some work. Talk it over with God, see what He wants to change in you, and then resolve to make that change. Very soon, I'll be publishing a follow-up post about the application of resolutions (including the release of my personal goals for the year). Until then,

  

Prayers and Love!