Anyone out there make a new year's resolution or two? Anyone already "fall off the wagon" on the 3rd day? Yep.it happens.
Essentially, a "resolution" is making a promise to ourselves to give something up, or do something better. Perhaps it is a promise to someone else as well. Consider the power of keeping your word...do you truly intend to keep your resolution as you would a promise? or is it simply an effort to make others happy, show good intentions, or pretend to be someone we are not? Hmmm...what does scripture say?
S - Matthew 5: 33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
O - We are called to keep our word. Our word should be taken as truth and a promise, without having to say "I promise." I believe scripture is saying we do not have control, therefore we can not determine what is going to happen. Therefore, we can only say "yes" or "no" to what we will or won't do. And then we should do what we say we're going to do.
A - I have to admit this is a pet peeve of mine...people saying they will do something and then they don't do it. Being in education, I really dislike watching parents make empty promises to their children, or allow them to give up on their commitments. Many people think nothing of saying one thing to make someone happy, and have no intention of doing it. I believe what is at the root of this problem is really fear of disappointment, and lack of commitment. We want to be liked, popular, and make others happy. We make promises to ourselves as well, and don't keep them.
A very serious vow and more dramatic example that is not always taken seriously today is marriage. I think one scenario is a person that WANTS desperately to be "married" and likes the idea of it so they "settle" in a relationship longer than they should, and then they don't know how to get out by the time they realize they aren't really as emotionally committed as they should be. They fear disappointing the other person and they probably care about that person and have good intentions but should they get married? maybe not. Some have good intentions but when it gets hard, they want to take the "easy" route and find other ways to find happiness, or get a new "exciting" relationship. To give a few some credit, I know there are some that go into it with good intentions, but then don't realize how hard it will be and BAM...they think that finding someone new will make it easier.
Another very basic example is one that I have been guilty of is over-committing. I agree to do something because it sounds fun or they "need" me. I have at various times in my life been afraid to disappoint someone when they asked me to do something, so I said yes when I really wasn't able to do it and should have said no.
I think in a lot of ways New Year's Resolutions are the same. We have good intentions. We want to be healthier so we start a new diet, or exercise plan. Some will give up smoking, or diet coke, or cuss less. Some will take up reading the Bible more or going to church. All of these are definitely worth trying and making the effort. We honestly shouldn't be so hard on ourselves when we don't stick to our new habits after 3 days...after all, we are human and it's HARD!
Perhaps consider this: when you make your New Year's Resolutions this year, think of it as making a promise to yourself and visualize what it means to NOT let yourself down. I personally am vowing to get more sleep and exercise more, which really, if I'm honest with myself, the root of the problem involves managing my time better...and I'm going to start on Monday :)
Tell your spouse or a friend that you are vowing to keep your word this year and then make the choice to do it. Every time you reach for the donuts, or a cigarette, or in my case, doing ONE more thing before I go to bed, visualize breaking a promise to someone important to you...your kids, your best friend, or Jesus himself. I know it sounds harsh but we should really take this more seriously and then we will keep our promises. And we are worth it! You deserve to keep a promise to yourself just as much as your spouse expects you to keep your marriage vows. Let's stop saying we are going to do something and not really mean it. Together, let's make decisions that are important and do what we say we are going to do. Again, if we mess up, we jump right back in. We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
P - My simple prayer Lord is that we would have the strength and the courage to do what YOU are calling us to do and then to keep our word when we say we are going to do it. May our sacrifice, our obedience, and our word be cheerful and given willingly (2 Cor. 9:7) and not out of obligation. All this is possible through our friendship with you, for you are the one that knows us best and can see ahead to our struggles, providing a way out when we open our eyes to follow your plan. And best of all we thank you for your unconditional love when we mess up and your forgiveness when we ask for it. Amen.
S - Matthew 5: 33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
O - We are called to keep our word. Our word should be taken as truth and a promise, without having to say "I promise." I believe scripture is saying we do not have control, therefore we can not determine what is going to happen. Therefore, we can only say "yes" or "no" to what we will or won't do. And then we should do what we say we're going to do.
A - I have to admit this is a pet peeve of mine...people saying they will do something and then they don't do it. Being in education, I really dislike watching parents make empty promises to their children, or allow them to give up on their commitments. Many people think nothing of saying one thing to make someone happy, and have no intention of doing it. I believe what is at the root of this problem is really fear of disappointment, and lack of commitment. We want to be liked, popular, and make others happy. We make promises to ourselves as well, and don't keep them.
A very serious vow and more dramatic example that is not always taken seriously today is marriage. I think one scenario is a person that WANTS desperately to be "married" and likes the idea of it so they "settle" in a relationship longer than they should, and then they don't know how to get out by the time they realize they aren't really as emotionally committed as they should be. They fear disappointing the other person and they probably care about that person and have good intentions but should they get married? maybe not. Some have good intentions but when it gets hard, they want to take the "easy" route and find other ways to find happiness, or get a new "exciting" relationship. To give a few some credit, I know there are some that go into it with good intentions, but then don't realize how hard it will be and BAM...they think that finding someone new will make it easier.
Another very basic example is one that I have been guilty of is over-committing. I agree to do something because it sounds fun or they "need" me. I have at various times in my life been afraid to disappoint someone when they asked me to do something, so I said yes when I really wasn't able to do it and should have said no.
I think in a lot of ways New Year's Resolutions are the same. We have good intentions. We want to be healthier so we start a new diet, or exercise plan. Some will give up smoking, or diet coke, or cuss less. Some will take up reading the Bible more or going to church. All of these are definitely worth trying and making the effort. We honestly shouldn't be so hard on ourselves when we don't stick to our new habits after 3 days...after all, we are human and it's HARD!
Perhaps consider this: when you make your New Year's Resolutions this year, think of it as making a promise to yourself and visualize what it means to NOT let yourself down. I personally am vowing to get more sleep and exercise more, which really, if I'm honest with myself, the root of the problem involves managing my time better...and I'm going to start on Monday :)
Tell your spouse or a friend that you are vowing to keep your word this year and then make the choice to do it. Every time you reach for the donuts, or a cigarette, or in my case, doing ONE more thing before I go to bed, visualize breaking a promise to someone important to you...your kids, your best friend, or Jesus himself. I know it sounds harsh but we should really take this more seriously and then we will keep our promises. And we are worth it! You deserve to keep a promise to yourself just as much as your spouse expects you to keep your marriage vows. Let's stop saying we are going to do something and not really mean it. Together, let's make decisions that are important and do what we say we are going to do. Again, if we mess up, we jump right back in. We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
P - My simple prayer Lord is that we would have the strength and the courage to do what YOU are calling us to do and then to keep our word when we say we are going to do it. May our sacrifice, our obedience, and our word be cheerful and given willingly (2 Cor. 9:7) and not out of obligation. All this is possible through our friendship with you, for you are the one that knows us best and can see ahead to our struggles, providing a way out when we open our eyes to follow your plan. And best of all we thank you for your unconditional love when we mess up and your forgiveness when we ask for it. Amen.
