Yup, it’s that time of year again, when we start making lists of what we want to achieve in the upcoming year. Some of us call them resolutions or goals.
Resolution: n…a firm decision to do or not to do
something.
Goal: n…the object of a person’s ambition or
effort; an aim or desired result.
However you slice it, it all boils down to change and a hope for the better.
Here are 10 of the most popular ones:
- Lose Weight
- · Exercise More/Get Healthy
- · Stop Smoking
- · Stop Drinking
- · Spend Less/Save more
- · Get Out of Debit
- · Find a New Job
- · Go Back To School
- · Stop Cussing
The God Head!
That’s right. God the Father! God the Son! And God the Holy Spirit!
We approach the situation all wrong by trying to do it the World’s way. For one if there's change that needs to be made, why wait for a particular month and day? And especially since tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. But this is what the World does and we play along. I often question, "Why as Believers we don't get all excited and celebrate New Year's according to the Jewish calendar, "Rosh Hashana?"
But like Paul, I know the secret to success in this world. And it’s not complicated at all.
We need to do exactly what Jesus instructs in (Matthew 6:25-34), we must first seek God—His way of doing things—and trust Him. We have to go to Him first.
The Messiah also tells us, “Whatever we ask of the Father in His name we shall receive.” (John16:23) But it must be God’s will for us. Folks like to leave that part out when quoting this particular scripture. And being out of debt and healthy is defiantly God’s will for us. Jesus was beat mercilessly so we could receive our healing. And who wants to be the tail, versus the head when they don’t have to be?
But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also the Holy Spirit’s job to guide, teach and correct us. And when given the opportunity, He will stop us from jumping off the deep edge, like signing a gym contract we are never really going use, obligating ourselves to monthly debt.
And when we take to heart and make (Proverbs 3:5-7), a way of life, then we will know exactly what we need to do for successful change in our lives.
You want to lose weight but have been struggling for years to get it off or keep it off? Well, having a close and upfront relationship with God will help you get to the root of your eating problem. Because that’s what needs to be fixed first—the why?
You’re drinking too much is a way of self medicating. It’s your way of trying to cover up pain which needs to be healed.
Why are you in debt? How did you get there? What is your true relationship with money? Are you in debt because shopping or buying things somehow takes the place of God helping you cope with life’s disappointments? Or does it temporarily fill a void, only He can fill?
What is the motivation for wanting to go back to school? Is it because you feel less than without a college degree? Or there is the promise of better pay with a Masters degree? How do you plan to pay for it? With loans and incurring debt you will spend the majority of your life trying to pay off? That’s not God’s will for us.
Looking for a new job with better pay is not a bad thing. Well, it is, if the job is going to close down or have a massive layoff 9 months after you start and you lose your job and benefits! And the company you left is thriving. We don’t know what tomorrow holds...but God does.
Time in the Word and prayer will reveal our problem areas. And that is a good thing, because God is not like people. We are more than happy to point out each other’s flaws, if only for no other reason than it makes us feel better about ourselves. But He shows us, so we can allow Him the privilege of turning whatever trash or ash it is—into a thing of beauty.
But we have a tendency to make our plans and then expect God to go alone. I am guilty of this myself. Several years ago, I got caught up in a promotion to join a gym because I really wanted to get out of the house, more so than get healthy. It was during the time I was homeschooling, working from home and deep in missions work. I longed to be doing something for me and be around more progressive people. So, I joined and signed a two year contract (by faith), that God would supply the money.
Well, I learned that the only thing in a gym I really like is the treadmill. And that is because I already liked walking—which I did a lot of.
I had a trainer for seven sessions, but was never comfortable. The gym was located in downtown Philadelphia, and only took 20 minutes to get there. I went three times a week. But about 3 months in, it became too much to pay the monthly fee and I barely got to go. Too busy! I called corporate and tried to get the payments cut in half and they wouldn’t do it. Eventually I just defaulted and it went against my credit. And that well known company went out of business—worldwide. Now how much do you want to bet, God knew all about their downfall, my waning lack of interest and inability to pay the contract off?
Yes, He knew all about it, before it ever happened.
If only I had taken my feelings of isolation to Him. And allowed Him to show me the way to deal with them and make change. But, lesson learned—the hard way! And my goal is to help you girls see the folly in our lives with New Year’s Resolutions and Goals. To understand, why we keep making the same ones over-and-over, with the promise—this year I’m going to do it! But don’t.
Use the time you would be spending at the gym, or doing homework assignments or whatever it is you do that idly takes up your time, and spend it—digging in the Word.
The bible holds the keys to everything we have need of; through God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Find out exactly what privileges where given to you at the Cross, besides salvation. Get to know the God you serve, with a desire to truly see and understand the love story He has for you. And if you are in a church that denies the power of the Holy Spirit, then once you get into the Word for yourself, my prayer is, you will leave that congregation and be led to one which knows and teaches His power.
Yes, we fail time and time again….because of our lack of understanding and acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit.
On December 31, 1989, I fell to my knees and cried out, “Lord, I didn’t want to smoke anymore!” asking the Holy Spirit to help me! (I was a babe in Christ, but in a Word church.) And guess what? He did.And after 19 years of smoking...I was FREE! (At the time I was smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.) I can’t tell you how many times I tried to quit on my own. So, I do know what it is to be addicted to cigarettes, but I also know the yoke breaking power of the Holy Spirit!
We can go to God about anything. But many of us don’t have the confidence He hears or is interested. But that is a lie from the pit and also the result of time not spent getting to know Him on our own.
There is only one thing we need for total success (and not the world’s definition of success either), and that is Jesus as Lord! And with Him as Lord—we get into the Bible and do everything it instructs us to do! Beginning with loving God with every ounce of our being and then down the line. With this you will be able to get out of debt and stay out. You will be able to lose that weight and keep it off. You will be in God's will, by waiting on Him to make a move for a new job or higher education. You will have success!
Until next week,
Love and Hugs,
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