Happy New Year!!

A new year lies ahead of us. It is a time for us to resolve to make changes. But year after year our well-intended “resolutions” come to naught. Here are some “doable resolutions” for your consideration.

–    Forget past mistakes and press on to greater mistakes.

–    Maybe gain five pounds.

–    Take every disappointment as a reason to quit.

–    Watch more television.

–    Briefly consider taking a walk each day.

–    Eat an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting.

–    Stay up later and sleep in longer.

–    Take more naps.

Hopefully these suggested resolutions will help you end 2014 with a sense of accomplishment. After all, feeling good about ourselves is important, too, you know!

The real reason we make “New Year’s Resolutions” is that we play a little game with ourselves when we realize that things in our lives should be different, but we don’t really want to change. That part of our brains that recognizes the need for change can be fooled into thinking that talking about something is the same as doing it.

Numerous diet books, personal finance guides, home fitness equipment, and gym memberships are sold each year. Yet the most of the people who make these purchases remain physically and fiscally unfit. They have succeeded in tricking themselves into thinking that “talk = do”. They “wish” instead of “want”.

Wishes are the building materials of fantasies. I may wish I had a different car or a different house or a different job. I may even wish I had a different life, but none of those are things I really want. I am content to merely talk about my wishes.

But when I really want something, I take steps to achieve it. When I really want to improve my physical condition, I make the necessary lifestyle changes to achieve my goals. When I really want a different job, I take the needed steps of searching and training to get the job I desire. When I really want to improve my financial situation, I make a workable budget and follow it. In all of these areas I should seek the advice of those who have already achieved what I desire. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. (NLT)”

I do have a point to all this rambling.

I want to suggest one real “New Year’s Resolution”.

–    Spend more time with Jesus.

Jesus already INDWELLS us. We just need to be aware of His Presence. We don’t need to go anywhere or do anything “religious”. We just need to focus on Him. Don’t talk about Him, talk to Him. Here are some suggestions on how to get started.

–    Before getting out of bed, take a minute or two to tell Jesus that you love Him and are aware of His Presence. Thank Him for the rest He has given you.

–    After getting up take another couple of minutes to tell Him you want to increase your awareness of His indwelling Presence.

–    Throughout the day remind yourself of His Presence.

This is by no means exhaustive, but as we become increasingly aware of His indwelling Presence we will begin to see life differently.

–    “That guy just couldn’t wait to pass me, and then he cut me off! Lord, help him in his need. He looks troubled.”

–    “Wow. Look at those flowers. Jesus, you sure do good work!”

–    “Thank you for this food, Lord. You take good care of me.”

–    “I’m going to lunch now. Jesus, any suggestions on what I should eat?”

–    “Whoa. She really unloaded on me. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so much anger. If there is anything You want me to do for her, please show me. In the meantime I give her to You. Heal her hurt.”

–    “Well, this really stinks! My car is broken, AGAIN, and I don’t have the money to fix it, AGAIN. But, hey, Jesus, You helped me make it through the last time, and You’ll help me make it through this time. I don’t know how, but that doesn’t matter. Even if I end up having to walk for a while, I’ll be walking with You! Thanks.”

When we learn to live in the awareness of the indwelling Presence of Jesus, our lives change. Does that mean we are always happy? Of course not. Does that mean we’ll never be sick or have financial need? Don’t be silly. Anyone who tells you that is either a fool or a charlatan. It does mean that we can live in peace, because we live with the Prince of Peace dwelling inside us.

Now, all of this has been a lengthy, and perhaps even a rambling, introduction to what I want to write about:

“New Year’s Resolutions We Can Keep!”

Philippians 4:13: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (NLT)”

When I am aware of the Indwelling Presence of Jesus I can talk to Him about the things I want to change in my life. Sometimes He will say that this “thing” really isn’t important at this time. Sometimes He will say that yes, now is the time to make this adjustment in my life. When He gives the “green light”, He will also give the strength.

When I embark on a change that has been approved by Jesus, and I do it in His strength, and not my own, then it’s going to happen!!

I have a very dear friend who was morbidly obese. In his own strength he would lose thirty pounds and then gain fifty. He would lose fifty and gain seventy. In his own words he dieted his way to over 440 pounds. Everything he tried in his own strength made his situation worse.

One day his need became Jesus’ need instead of his. Jesus showed him the steps to take and gave him the strength to take them. The result is that he is now literally half the man he used to be. As a result of that experience, done in Jesus’ strength and timing, he has not only a new body, but a new purpose in life. He is now helping others find God’s help and health.

Increasing our awareness of the indwelling Presence of Jesus will change how we live our days. As we walk with Him and talk with Him we begin to see our lives as His and not ours. We begin to see people as fellow humans, created in His image, and for whom He also gave His life to restore us all to relationship with the Father.

As we learn to walk with Jesus our lives becomes much, much more than a series of “do’s and don’t’s”. We no longer look at choices as being “Good or Evil”. Rather we learn to see what is and is not important to Jesus. If it matters to Him, it should matter to us. If it doesn’t matter to Him, it shouldn’t matter to us.

It’s not easy, but it is simple.

It’s not immediate, but it is possible.

It’s not us.

It is Jesus

 

Copyright 2014: Wayne Harmon