12JAN

January 12th January 12th is the average day when people give up the resolutions that they made on January 1st. In less than two weeks most people abandon any good intentions they have of changing or improving anything in their lives. This is probably the reason that most people don’t make New Year’s resolutions any more. Historically, they know that they almost always fail at keeping them. I’m not sure which is better, to never even try to change things, or to try and consistently fail. I guess to never try or to never make resolutions is a guarantee of failure. But to try and fail at least shows that you know something needs to change, but you recognize how hard it is. Here are some thoughts about New Year’s resolutions: 1) If something really needs to change in your life, there is no reason to wait until the first of January to change it. Why people wait months and months to make changes that they know they need to make right now is a mystery. 2) Secondly, most of the changes that we really need to make urgently are spiritual changes — daily Bible reading, weekly church attendance, consistently sharing our faith, consistent tithing, more prayer, etc. Sure we might need to lose weight or start exercising more, but neither of those are as urgent as the spiritual changes that we need to make. Why? Because we will never be held accountable in judgment for being overweight, but we will for spiritual sloth. 3) It could be that the reason that most people fail at keeping those January promises is that they never ask God to help them. Whatever needs to change in our lives is usually a motivation that comes from God, and so He will provide the strength for us to do it if we ask Him. And if we know that He is the One moving in us to do it, and He is the One giving us the strength to do it, then we should find a greater motivation for making those permanent changes. Listen to this promise: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) That basically means that the things that God has motivated you to change will not stop on January 12th, but continue on until He comes again. Wow! What a promise. It kind of puts New Year’s resolutions in a much better light.Happy New Year, Love Always In Christ Jesus, Pastor Monte Smith North Syracuse Christian Church https://www.facebook.com/NSyrCC