New Year's Resolutions

It's a new year. A time when time itself seems to start over. The first of the year is so full of hope for what may happen. Many people make resolutions at the first of the year. Some people are able to keep them and some resolutions have already been forgotten as I write this. I think for some of us we try to change ourselves too much, too quickly. Then when we can't keep up with the demands we place on ourselves, we throw our hands up and just give up. I encourage you this year as you make resolutions to not put yourself down if you mess up, instead just start back over and accomplish your goals.

As a Christian, I am determined to grow closer to God everyday. When I first got back into church, I had that same determination, only then I thought I had to be perfect. I would mess up, (like we all do) and I would give up. I would get so frustrated and say what's the point I can't change. I'm not good enough to be a Christian. At that point there was a lot of going to church and falling out and going to church and falling out, and really a lot of misery because I couldn't live up to a standard I had set for what a Christian should be.

Thankfully, now I have stuck it out and I realize God doesn't require us to be perfect, especially right after we get saved. When we get saved, the Holy Spirit comes and BEGINS the work of making us more like God. He begins to do an inner cleansing of us. I am still not perfect, but I can look back 5 or 10 or 15 years ago and I can see how far God has taken me. Do I mess up? Yes. Does God still forgive me? Yes.

God loves you also. I encourage you as you make those New Year's resolutions to make getting closer to God a priority this year. If you haven't been to church in a while, Sunday morning is a great time to start. If you already have a relationship with God, try to develop a deeper relationship with Him. I encourage you to make God a priority in 2013. It will be the best resolution you could ever make.

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