Resolution or Restoration?
Sunday’s Monday
Resolution or Restoration?
In an act of human foolishness most of us start off the new year with what we call new year’s resolution. We will braggadociously boast about one or more resolutions that we’ve made not realizing in its fullness the unnecessary damage we put upon ourselves. We first need to understand the meaning of resolution, lexico.com dictionary, Resolution; A firm decision to do or not to do something; The quality of being determined or resolute. Which leads me to the word commitment, again lexico.com dictionary, Commitment; The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.; A pledge or undertaking. Ergo, Most of us will add tons of unnecessary pressure to our lives when we make these commitments to ourselves in the form of new year’s resolutions. Then to make matters worse, we brag or announce to everyone that will listen.
This all sounds innocent enough, but the truth is for a lot of people it simply adds to the failure complex they already have. You know, like that old song from the TV Show Hee-Haw; Gloom, despair, and agony on me or that old song of Ray Charles; If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Sad fact is according to psychologytoday.com 80% of the new year’s resolutions will fail. My personal reasoning for this failure rate is twofold, with the 1st being; we get caught up in the feel good and empowerment of the moment. I know most of my resolutions were always made from pride in the presents of others, in which its very nature usually took the goal completely out of my reach as it was virtually meritless from my heart. My 2nd reason for failure is, I always attempt to go it solo and that ain’t good! Alone, I have the total responsibility of success or failure, as there is no accountability, no encouragement, no advice and no sustainability. I become a sitting duck for failure on my own! Foolish, foolish, me!
Proverbs 16:9 (MSG), We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it. As followers of Jesus, you’d think we’d have it together better than we do. It appears we insist on having things our way even though it is probably wrong. Yes, I know that most of our resolutions are small and petty, however that doesn’t make them any less lethal to our mental state. Afterall, failure to most of us is like sin, there is no classification for little or large. A few weeks ago, I wrote on failure and tried to explain that it can best be described as personal perception. Others may view an inadequate attempt to accomplish something, as a fail, when we later discover it was anything but. There are many things in life that God may choose to interrupt as it is taking us in the wrong direction and this interruption may be considered by people to be a failure. When in reality it is what my pastor would call a divine course correction, to keep us on God’s spiritual path. We didn’t fail; we were merely redirected toward a brighter future.
The key to unlocking the mysteries of which I speak is found in surrendering our all to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As a faithful believer and passionate follower of Jesus we should start off every New Year pleading Psalm 139:23-24 (MSG), to Jesus 23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong, then guide me on the road to eternal life. You see, my past has every proof of fact that my resolution, wants, decisions and choices are many times not in my best interest. Whereas, all the choices, changes and decisions that Jesus has managed for me, have prospered me in many ways. Ergo, my deficiency in choices or failure in the eyes of man, could very well be my greatest gift from God!
I have said all of this to try to bring an awareness to the mind of every reader. Instead of spending a lot of time, filling my brain with undue stress that usually leads to grief and disappointment. I am discovering through God’s grace; I’d be better served to employ Lamentations 3:40-42 (MSG), 40-42 Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under God. Let’s lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time, praying to God in heaven. Even though this scripture is out of context, I believe it is still the best advice one can receive at any given time. I’m also constantly reminded of a scripture that I quote frequently, and it is quite useful for strengthening my (our) resolve to serve Jesus; Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG), I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
My New Year 2020 prayer for us all comes from, Proverbs 3:5-11(MSG), 5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. 7 Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! 8 Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! 9 Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. 10 Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. 11 But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
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