How will you make 2012
your best year ever?
Maybe you will make an
impressive list of resolutions, detailing plans for self improvement in
finances, health, and relationships.
Reality check: how did those
resolutions work for you last year? The
truth is about 92% of those resolutions won’t be kept. Why?
We don’t keep resolutions
because we assume we have enough will-power to overcome our problems. We think if we just try harder we can do
it. We make our problems harder because
we try to tackle all our troubles at once.
By the second week of January (sometimes the second day) our will power
is overloaded. In a moment of stress we
make an exception. That exception
becomes a breach in the dike of resolve. We’re back to the same old patterns
with the same old results in a matter of days – or hours.
There is a different
way. Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom
of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Another translation would be, “Put God in
charge and follow His way of thinking, and He will take care of everything
else.”
Stovall Weems expresses it
like this: “This can be your best year ever if it is your best year
spiritually.”
Decide to make this your
best year spiritually. Talk to God about
what this year could look like. Ask God
for His input.
God might tell you to read
the Bible through in a year – it’s a doable challenge. God might tell you go on
an adventure – it may be a mission trip or it might to lead the group next
door. God might tell you to experience
true generosity for the first time – giving not out of guilt but out of joy!
Here’s the challenge to
you and to me: Let’s make 2012 our best
year spiritually – and it will be our best year ever.
Grace and Happy New Year,
Clay
