Live Resolved
New Year’s resolutions are nothing new. I am not sure about you, but I have never been a New Year’s resolution type person. I am, however, someone who takes account often to see if the need to adjust would be beneficial. Whether you make New Year’s resolutions or not, we should be looking at our lives to assess how matters are progressing. The areas I like to assess in a broad sense pertain to spiritual, personal and professional health. As I look at these areas of life, there are physical and emotional aspects to process as well. As we assess our overall health and well-being, we must decide the areas that are working and those we need to change.
Habits are habits; they can help us to accomplish great objectives, or they can cause us to fail. So, what separates those who are able to make sustainable, significant changes in the way they live, so they can ultimately be the person they desire to be? Simply put, they are able to create habits that lead them to success. Some might say you should take your resolutions and make them your lifestyle. But what does scripture say about personal resolutions?
In Romans 14:13, Paul instructs Christians to make a resolution. “Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” In these kinds of matters, Paul is saying, let us not decide as to how others should behave. Instead, let us decide as to how we will behave. Let us resolve never to do anything that will cause our brother, who is convicted differently than we are in this instance, to stumble into sin. So at least in this instance, the idea of making a personal resolution, a personal and determined commitment, to change or improve our own behavior is given to us as a command. And nothing in the Scriptures would indicate that it is wrong to make such personal resolutions.
As you read through this Messenger, you will see stories where resolutions are made – let’s also call them commitments. Cindy resolved she wanted to change her life and she came into care in our Homes for Families program. Her story is one of powerful transformation! I also think of Sam’s story and his resolve. Almost more importantly, I think of his housepop, Jesse, and his resolve to want to care for and love Sam. When we live lives of personal commitment to God’s grand plan for us, amazing transformational moments can be seen.
I challenge you to think about your life, your resolutions, your commitments, your habits. What do they say about who you are or who you desire to be? If you aren’t pleased, then change them and create new habits that will help you to be the person you want to be and, more importantly, the person God wants you to be. The great John Wooden famously said: “Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is yet to be, the only way to affect tomorrow is today.” If you have a history of not following through on resolutions and commitments, today it all can change.
I pray you enjoy this edition of our Messenger!
2 Thessalonians 1:11–12: To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you.
