WE ARE BORN IRRESOLUTE!
Sunday’s Monday
It’s the day after Christmas and now all you’ll hear, is thousands of resolutions people are making for the new year. I don’t know the worldly stats for successful resolutions made each year, but I can assure you that the spiritual success rate for making and keeping resolutions is low. Let’s look at the word resolution as described by Oxford Languages; a firm decision to do or not to do something, the quality of being determined or resolute. Now look at irresolute; hesitancy; uncertainty. Just as it sounds, it is the exact opposite of its positive counterpart.
I said all that to ask you to think about all the past halfhearted, feel-good resolutions you’ve made to God, to your family, and especially yourself. How’d they work out for you? I hope good, but I’m guessing not so much. It seems we humans lack foresight (long-range vision) and fortitude (stick to it ness) when it comes to making deep decisions with prolonged results. We fail to count the cost of attaining the goal in which we set for ourselves. We act on feelings of the moment filtered through our mind which believes we can do whatever pleases us. Which is factually not true! Luke 14:25–33 (NRSV) is all about Jesus explaining how one must count the total cost. My favorite of these is verse 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? However, there is another very important fact that we usually fail to enter into our equation, and that is our mental strength is not strong enough to complete many durational tasks. Jesus speaks to this in John 15:5 (NRSV), I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
We can never seem to grasp on to the fact that little fleeting victories are all we can attain in our own strength, and they usually never come with lasting peace. We followers of Jesus are often found standing on our own, fighting needless battles, as we are busy trying to champion a war that was won over 2000 years ago. Check out John 19:30 (NRSV), When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jesus won the war for all and yet we continually fight the mental battles of this life because we haven’t, can’t, or won’t surrender this life to Him. We constantly fight the battle of faith in God and an innate desire to control the uncontrollable, our own life. We have factually proven we are not in control through our ingrained inability to be resolute, which proves how unstable our lives are as hesitancy and uncertainty exude from every pore in our bodies.
My point is: New Year’s Day is coming up and I’m not suggesting you not make resolutions; however, I am suggesting you have a little talk with Jesus. Ask Him, what He would like for you to become resolved in. Allow Him to help you decide where the changes need to be and allow Him to guide you through getting there. Allow me to share what Jesus has been infilling my inner man with; I don’t have a clear view as to where I should live, what I should own, or what I should be doing at this point in my life. I don’t have the foresight into God’s plan for my life, ergo the changes I have in mind might not be important or even be needed in God’s big picture for me. I am a complicated and confused organism, in that I know change is a very necessary part of this life, “but” I don’t really have an accurate clue of what needs to change. Thus, Jesus explains in John 15:7 (NRSV), If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. Because we will only ask according to His will for our lives.
Once God brings us to the point that our irresolution (hesitancy and uncertainty) is understood, and we should withhold any solution seeking until discussing the situation with Him. At that point, we can be assured that our nature is maturing to the point that God’s nature is now influencing our decision-making. I suggest you read John 15: before you make any decisions, especially New Year’s Resolutions. John 15:11 (NRSV), I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. Remember, Satan loves a disappointed and discouraged Christian, as they become easy prey.
Lord have us to live what is written in 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NRSV), 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Have us know that we are a work in progress and that you know what is best for us as we are being prepared each day to meet the next. God grant us the wisdom to seek you first in all we do. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, grace, and Love. We love you, Father. Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
For email version, send a request to…pal249@hotmail.com…12/26/2021