Why do New Year's resolutions rarely work? Mostly because they are things that we "want" to change or implement in our life but are not fully committed to before we begin. We are initially motivated by the "idea" of this new resolution without the full commitment of our will.
The battles for change are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God's presence, never in full view of the world.
Last week in our study of Hebrews we talked about running the race of faith. It is a race that requires endurance. To make a positive change in your life you must not only be fully resolved in your will, but must also endure. The journey to your goal will most likely be challenged by life's many landmines and roadblocks. There will no doubt be plenty of reasons to make excuses as to why you must forego your resolution and return to your old habits.
As the year is fresh and your desires are strong, get alone with God and explore your desires for improvement and change. Ask Him to direct you in the areas that are in most need of change. Let your driving motivation to change or improve be something that will bring glory to God.
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
The battle is lost or won in the secret places of the will before God, never first in the external world. The Spirit of God apprehends me and I am obliged to get alone with God and fight the battle out before Him. Until this is done, I lose every time. The battle may take one minute or a year, that will depend on me, not on God; but it must be wrestled out alone before God, and I must resolutely go through the hell of a renunciation before Him. Nothing has any power over the man who has fought out the battle before God and won there. If I say, “I will wait till I get into the circumstances and then put God to the test,” I shall find I cannot. I must get the thing settled between my self and God in the secret places of my soul where no stranger intermeddles, and then I can go forth with the certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity and disaster and upset are as sure as God’s decree. The reason the battle is not won is because I try to win it in the external world first. Get alone with God, fight it out before Him, settle the matter there once and for all.
In dealing with other people, the line to take is to push them to an issue of will. That is the way abandonment begins. Every now and again, not often, but sometimes, God brings us to a point of climax. That is the Great Divide in the life; from that point we either go towards a more and more dilatory and useless type of Christian life, or we become more and more ablaze for the glory of God — “My Utmost for His Highest.”
In dealing with other people, the line to take is to push them to an issue of will. That is the way abandonment begins. Every now and again, not often, but sometimes, God brings us to a point of climax. That is the Great Divide in the life; from that point we either go towards a more and more dilatory and useless type of Christian life, or we become more and more ablaze for the glory of God — “My Utmost for His Highest.”
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