New Year’s resolutions:
How are yours going?
By now, a lot of people have already given up and fallen right back into the same habits that carried them through 2016.
Weight loss is always at the top of those resolution lists. After all the holiday eating, we all feel the extra pounds! Unfortunately, sticking to a new diet or eating lifestyle plan isn’t easy… Trust me! I’m in week two and I’m doing my best to push past my cupcake cravings.
Anything falling into the cake and pastry categories is a weakness for me. I’ve noticed I do best when I’m extra determined, especially when I have a plan. If I meal plan, grocery shop weekly, and schedule workouts in my day planner, I’m successful. And, I start to see the results that push me to keep going.
Whether or not you’re trying to lose pounds in this New Year, we all have some weight that needs to be dropped.
“Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…”
{Hebrews 12:1 }
No matter where we are in our walk with God, there’s always room for improvement. It’s important to examine our spiritual lives and see where we might be better off if we dropped some things behind us. Maybe there are things you’ve been holding on to, and you should finally let them go. Maybe God is drawing you into a deeper connection and greater faith that requires some sacrifice on your part.
Keep in mind that the scripture says weight AND sin.
That extra weight may not be a sin, but it might be keeping you from something greater in your life. It may become a heavier weight down the road, and only God sees what your future holds.
In Matthew 19, we find a young man approaching Jesus with the question, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the young man responded, “All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”
Many of us can probably respond to Jesus the same way: Keep the commandments? Done!
I mean, we do pretty good most of the time, right? What more is there?
We read the Bible and obey it, we live a separate life in our actions and appearance, and we’re active in our churches…we’re doing all the right things.
However, Jesus went on to tell the young man what else he should do in Matthew 19:21, “Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.”
That day, the wealthy young man decided to walk away from Jesus, keeping a firm grip on a whole lot of weight. His possessions weren’t evil, and Jesus’ request was something beyond what the Law required. But, if he had been willing to let go of what he thought was good, his reward would have been so much greater.
If God asks us to lay aside what He sees as a weight, or if we willingly lay aside the things we recognize as weights, we “shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matthew 19:29)
Losing weight definitely has benefits!
In the physical, we feel better (in both body and mind), we’re healthier, we have more energy, and I’m sure the list could go on.
The same is true spiritually.
We feel better. Our relationship with God is healthier. And, we’re able to do more for His Kingdom than before.
As I mentioned earlier, when we have a plan, we’re more successful in our efforts. We only achieve our new year’s resolutions when we have a clear direction.
If you see any unnecessary weight in your life that needs to go, or God has brought something to your attention, then be intentional about leaving it behind.
Make a plan.
Be accountable to someone.
Set your eyes and heart on the end result! You won’t regret it.