This new year provides an opportunity for us to have a fresh start or a new chapter in our lives. There are some people that may need a fresh start due to a difficult year, and there are some that may simply need to continue but at a new level. The new year is definitely a blessing; it provides a clear cut and an end to a portion of life and allows for us to step into something new if we prepare ourselves to do so.
Now comes the point where we start thinking about New Year resolutions, and what we want to achieve within the next year. One important thing to remember is that we make resolutions or goals not to be achieved by the end of January, but for the next twelve months, although, there may be some goals that do require a time frame.
In setting new goals and resolutions, do we include particular behaviors and mindsets we aspire to develop? As Christians we have the bible to help us to grow and to become more like Jesus, starting with the most important commandment that Jesus gave: ‘to love God with all our heart, soul and mind’ (Matthew 22:37).
For the past few years my first and main goal for each new year has been to grow closer to God and to put Him first in my life. This decision means that any other goals I may have must become secondary to God. There are times where it may seem the other way around, however, God knows our nature as human beings and He guides us back on course. One scripture that is certainly a challenge, but one that I have grown to love is Psalm 37:4. The scripture encourages us to ‘take delight in the Lord, and He will give [us] the desires of [our] hearts’. Delighting IN God for who He is and not what He can provide is such a challenge, however it is such a special place to be, even in spite of certain goals and prayers we are desperate to achieve and have answered. Getting to this place is definitely a daily process. We have to actually ask God to help us to delight in Him sometimes and allow our mindsets to shift to a place of investing in our personal relationship with God.
We must remember that God is for us, He wants the best for our lives, however, if we bypass this first commandment, we end up striving and stressing over where we want to be in life and trying to make things happen. I still have a list of goals and themes that I would like to achieve throughout the year of 2019, however it is important to give these to God and allow Him to lead as The Good Shepherd.
So a challenge for the coming year is to ask ourselves whether we are truly able to say “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need”? I challenge us all to make this our most important resolution for the new year.
Kabuki Johnson – Dance Coach