Giving God Control of Your Resolutions

‘“But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel! You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You have not honored me with sacrifices, though I have not burdened and wearied you with requests for grain offerings and frankincense. You have not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults.”’ (Isaiah 43:22-24, NLT)

In this season of New Years we are all seeking and expecting some sort of change. As a society we are eager for results and satisfaction. We see a common trend of people pursuing the change they want right after the turn of the new year and putting all sorts of work in, but than more often than not, most give up or their desire fades out.

In these couple of verses we see the Lord’s frustration at Israel when he basically says to them, “You are disappointed, yet you never ask for my help! I have so much to give; I desire to bless you, yet you act as if I am not here, not present in your life.”

God may have had this frustration way back in Bible times, but He surely still feels it today. First of all, He sees us trying to make changes that won’t fulfill us, all the while knowing that those changes we so passionately seek to apply to our lives will only fail in giving us joy only He can supply.

Now, I am not saying that the resolutions you have for yourself in 2018 are bad. By all means, still shoot for that workplace promotion, still strive for that GPA, still work towards the healthy body image you desire. Goals are good and encouraged. I’m just saying that making any successful and sustainable life-change that will truly grow you as a person needs to be based in the pursuit of our Heavenly Father’s heart. You need to completely dive into God’s perspective and leave yours at the table. Our perspective oftentimes creates bad habits, warped realities, and stressed lifestyles. God’s perspective offers healthy growth, heavenly wisdom, and overwhelming love. When you see your world through God’s eyes, you allow him to change your heart and your mind, and through that, you can achieve more than you dreamed before.

While the goals we have aren’t bad, there is only one thing in existence that never changes, and that is the God of this universe. Everything else in our lives has a habit of fading away, yet He always remains resilient and merciful.

Isaiah 43:19-20 says:

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.” (NLT)

This is the Lord's perspective and this is His truth: He is bringing refreshment to the dry areas of our lives. He is always pouring out His blessings on us, His people, but He is even more generously blessing us in this season of change. He teaches us that change is an opportunity to become all that he has created us to be. If we were to soak in His jaw-dropping perspective and see this confusing life through the Maker’s eyes, what mountains would we not be able to conquer this year?

It is through this, the decision to change your perspective and soften your heart, that your broken soul will experience the most ground-breaking changes you never thought possible. New Year's resolutions can finally stop being clichés and facilitate the moments we look back on and see true life change.

At the end of the day, God cannot be challenged, but we can. He comes to our defense because most of the time we can’t come to our own. He loves the unlovable when we choose to judge them. He sees our lives from our first breath to our last. He is the image of perfection and He loves us despite all our flaws and jagged edges.

This New Years season I want to challenge you to change. Delve into God’s perspective of your life, because I promise once you expose yourself to it, you won’t be able to step away from all that God sees. When you start to see your desires and your life in the eyes of God, everything starts to make sense. Let’s grow this year in a genuine, groundbreaking way. Let’s let God’s will prevail so that we can be all we have yearned to be and more.

Lord, I thank you for 2017. I thank you for how your Spirit has burned like a fire within my soul this whole year. I thank you how my heart overflows with your love, no matter what the season. I thank you for your persistence through all my trials and your mercy in my imperfection. You are a perfect, loving Father and I take you for granted. Lord, I pray you stretch me this year, that there would be no limits to what you can do in me. Lord, I pray I don’t get in your way, that I allow you to do all you need to. God, envelop me in your wisdom, so I can grow to be more and more like you– more loving and understanding, more compassionate and selfless. Help me to take the attention of myself. Help me take up my cross. Oh, God, I love you with all my heart. All I have for you is all I am.

In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.