Resolved

I read an old seminary friend's Facebook status today and was captivated. I was captivated because it held my attention. Made me stop to think. Continued circling in my brain until I had to include it for this post. It read:

New years thought: 
In Christ I have all I need. Therefore every new years resolution that matters for life, meaning, joy, fulfillment, purpose, and value have already been paid for, and through the spirit in me are applied by grace not works.‪

New Year's resolutions are all about making ourselves better. Losing more weight. Toning up. Volunteering more. Quit smoking/drinking (though I have neither of these issues.) Reading more. Etc. You get the idea. There's definitely a fine line, and I certainly don't want to deny that goals are good. Goals motivate us. However, sometimes those goals are bred out of a dissatisfaction with who we are. I know in years past I have made goals to read more Scripture and memorize, volunteer, journal, and so on. Our years aren't meant for earning. Believe me, I'm in the fold of constantly surrendering that desire to earn God's favor. No our years are meant for living for Him. That's where that line comes into play. - We can either be desiring to do something that will exalt ourselves or exalt our God. I do not believe there are any other motivations in life. Our resolutions and goals should be geared towards the end of exalting our God. Because just as this status said, everything of value has been paid for, and it's grace to us.

I was looking back over my Year in Review from yesterday. Up until that point I had dreaded writing the review. From this year, I remembered a lot of testing, refinement, tears, struggle. I felt nothing short of Elisabeth Elliot during her years of waiting on Jim. Those were the years where she truly learned how to surrender and let God be God - Lord. Yet, I am still learning this I must add. However, in God's grace a simple and fun post turned into something wonderful for me. I realized just how great my past year had been. Yes, there was the testing and refinement. But in the midst of all that there was good. God has been faithful to draw me closer to Himself, though the road has been difficult. He has provided much during major transitions in life. He has answered very specific prayers that have been prayers for years - Becca's salvation, a godly man to date with the potential of marriage, my daddy and church, as well as answers for Amelia and her health. On the whole what was hard was also beautiful. I needed that sweet reminder of His faithfulness and goodness to me.

This new year I hope will be different. I hope to enter the year at rest. Not working for a purpose or value or fighting the understanding of righteousness, but simply resting in Him. Resting in Christ and His sufficiency. With Him comes forgiveness of sins, life, grace, righteousness and reconciliation. Look to this year not as a way to create the new you, but as a year to rest in who You are and who He has created you to be.

Resolved.

Happy New Year friends!

"So that we have come to know AND believe the love God has for us." 1 John 4:16