I can’t keep them.
Wow, that was easy! Now, what do I do with the rest of the article?
It’s true; I can’t keep them. I never could figure out resolutions anyway. If you could keep them, you wouldn’t need them. Your self-discipline would help you to order your life and ensure that you do the right things daily.
Resolutions are really promises that you hope to keep. Promises, however, can be difficult if circumstances change. I promise that I will love and honor you forever. Then she (or he) gets fat, or worse, begins to treat you horribly. They don’t understand you, but, strangely enough, the co-worker does. And he (or she) smells better, or looks better, and you can imagine what life would be like with them.
The Bible puts heavy duty responsibility on promises, especially promises to God. Failing to keep your promise to God brings a curse. Bad things will happen to you. So, just don’t promise, right? But then you might be accused of being apathetic.
A resolution usually involves a life-changing decision, like losing weight, don’t bite your nails, don’t waste so much time playing computer games or watching TV. The list is endless.
New Years resolutions fail for two reasons. One, the minute after midnight on January 1 of any year has no magical power. It provides you an opportunity to pre-fail because your damaging lifestyle will be dramatically different that first day of the new year. Then, you fail because your eye is on the end goal rather than the process. You jump in with both feet, you sweat, you struggle — always with your eye on the prize. In a very short time, however, the goal begins to look unattainable. Maybe you’re meant to be fat, drunk, lazy, keep the smoker’s cough or, for whatever reason, be generally out of control.
New Years resolutions are acted out by millions throughout the year.
I’m starting my diet on Monday…
I’ll work harder at my new job….
I’ll start going to church right after football season…
I’ll just finish this pack of cigarettes, then I won’t buy any more…
What makes it harder is that you probably know at least one person that did it. Just walked away from it and changed one aspect of their lives. And they very likely reminded you that they did it; why can’t you?
Our relationship with God is very much like New Years resolutions. I don’t think he wants us to make them. Jesus taught us to be able to recognize right from wrong. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8) has some great examples of how we rationalize doing things that, in the end, are wrong. He teaches, and shows by his own life, that our daily relationship with his, and our, Father doesn’t require a promise — just an action.
There is always something to do. Most of the time it isn’t a grand thing. It’s an individual, moment-by-moment, decision to do, or not do. We were created to work, whether it pays a wage or not. We are called to be constantly conscious of each little thing we do. We are to rate it based upon its ability to satisfy, taking into consideration the outcome of that action based upon our previous experience. If we fail, the whole effort is not lost. There will be thousands more opportunities.
I write this from experience. From 62 years of successes and failures (baby and toddler-hood aside), none of which will make headlines. Each day is a gift. Each day is an opportunity to tackle small things, which are building blocks to greater things, the greatest of which is to truly know the love of God. To realize that one day, in his timing, perfection will be complete in me.
I will not look at that day. I will only look at today. Life is living and moving around me, and I intend to be a part of it.
This is life eternal.
Read more about: obedience, relationship
