New Year's Resolutions

Dear Church Family,

So how are those New Year’s resolutions working out?  It’s only been six days, but I’m guessing you’ve already thrown in the towel on some of them.  So why do we put ourselves through this year after year?  What makes us feel the urge to change anyway? 

Well, there are all sorts of good reasons to want to change.  But if you’re like me, there are other reasons that aren’t so noble. 

Sometimes we lose sight of all of our blessings and we resolve to simply add things to our lives that we don’t already have.  That’s called ingratitude. 

Other times we are ashamed or frustrated with where we are in life, and without any thought of God’s plan and providence, we resolve to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and make sweeping changes.  That’s called pride. 

And then more often than not, we choose resolutions primarily because they will improve the quality of our lives.  There’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but when we undertake these sorts of resolutions without thought to how they will impact others around us, that’s called insensitivity. 

So as I realized each of these three tendencies in my own life, I decided to simplify my resolutions this year.  I’m praying for grace to be more thankful to God, more truthful to myself and more thoughtful to others.  Being more thankful to God will enable me to be more content.  Being more truthful to myself will enable me to own up to my weaknesses and seek God’s strength.  And being more thoughtful to others will enable me to take my eyes off myself. 

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  But guess what?  I’ve already broken these three simple resolutions hundreds of times in dozens of ways, and it’s only January 6^th.  And so I need one more resolution: that I will learn to rest more deeply in the righteousness of Christ.  He is always thankful, always truthful and always thoughtful.  And it’s His righteousness that is my only hope.  Not just on January 1^st, but on the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th as well.

Blessings,

Doug Swagerty

P.S.  We’re going to spend the month of January celebrating the ways that God has recently blessed us, changed us and used us.  The services will be full of testimonies from people in our church family as well as our ministry partners.  I hope to see you this week as we begin the celebration!