Crucible of Interruption

What is it about New Years that makes the whole world crazy for resolve?? Each year in January billions of people make decisions...choices...commitments...to change. Even as I sit here and type my mind is flooded with all of the things I hope to accomplish, do, see, be in 2009. And this year I'm curious, why do we do this? Does it really make a difference, or does it just make us feel better for the few short days, weeks or months that we actually follow through with such commitments? Right now the tv is on in the other room and I've just heard at least three commercials for weight loss and gym specials going on NOW! And to quote a friend..."The next two weeks will be the busiest time at Memorial Park all year". Such resolutions range from health habits to relationships, to spiritual deiciplines, and on and on. Now before I sound like the ghost of New Years past and get called a "scrouge" let me just say I love what resolutions stand for, I think they're great. I just know that every year I end up disappointed with myself, and it's this failure to follow through that leaves me and a big part of the rest of the world feeling frustrated. Can anyone relate? What exactly are we going wrong?

I resolve in 2009 to make my resolving look a bit different. Let's do a little word study on "resolve" shall we...

Definition: decision, determination
Synonyms: boldness, conclusion, courage, decidedness, design, earnestness, firmness, fixed purpose, intention, objective, project, purpose, purposefulness, purposiveness, resoluteness, resolution, steadfastness, undertaking, will, willpower

I would now like to connect my thoughts in regard to new years resolutions to a book that I am currently reading that has nothing to do with new years, but has everything to do with change. The Miracle of Life Change, How God Transforms His Children by Chip Ingram, previously published as Holy Transformation. The entire book is based on Ephesians Ch 4.

Here are a few quotes from the book...

"How can we claim that Christ makes a difference in our lives when our lives don't really look that different from the rest of society? Until we can answer that question clearly, we will continue to cast doubt on the validity of the gosepel we proclaim"..."The kind of change I'm talking about involves the supernatural. Our goal is not a remodeled you accomplised through hard work and self-effort, but a brand new you that thinks, acts and feels differently because the Spirit of God has taken up residence within you...the kind of change you can't fake"..."I have come to realize that the average Christian simply does not know how spiritual growth and transformation really occurs. Somewhere along the line, the clear teaching of Ephesians 4 has been replaced by hopeless busyness"..."Failure to change frequently results from spiritual ignorance. Many Christians simply don't understand their identity in Christ and the grace they have received. The ignorance destines them to the "try hard, do good, fail" syndrome."

There will definitely be more blog posts to come as I continue through the book. Hopefully that's enough to wet your appetite and help connect my thoughts as I take a look at new years resolutions and the commitment to change I hope to make this year. I can't really speak for anyone else, but I've realized that my own personal failure has come in making my own best effort to do something different rather than realizing than my own best effort doesn't amount to much apart from the power of God at work within me. If I want to eat better or exercise more or be better with my finances or be a better friend, sister daughter then I MUST make Christ Lord of my life in these areas. I have to acknowledge that there is no best effort on my part that makes me able and ask for eyes to see the supernatural work of God that is constantly at work in and around me...but perhaps I fail to see because I fail to take the time to do so. Its in realizing that I cannot that the God of the Universe, my heavenly Father who loves me more than anyone else in the universe, can come in and say LET ME!!

May 2009 be filled with a greater supernatural work of God in your life and in mine. He is able and in Him so are we. I can't wait to share my victories with each of you. Be blessed in the new year friends!