The latter part of January finds many of us already in a self-induced guilt funk. The reason being, it’s only three weeks into the New Year and there are those that have already ditched their New Year’s resolutions. You know the ones … “I’m finally going to lose that muffin top and shed 20 pounds this year;” or, “I’m going to cut up my charge cards and get out of debt this year;” or “I’m going to read the entire Bible from cover to cover this year and spend one hour every day with God.”
An unexpected invitation from a friend to hit the outlet malls and you tell yourself, “I’ll spend my time with God, later;” and before you know it you’re sitting at an all-you-can-eat buffet stuffing your face with all things sauced or frosted trying to figure out where all the shopping bags surrounding you came from. So much for resolutions!
I know myself well enough to know I’m a member of the “give up too easily” club and I no longer bother making New Year’s resolutions. My history has shown I do just that– give up too easily.
Resolutions rarely work in large part because so many of us labor under the assumption that we can conquer our issues on our own. We think we can bring about change in our own strength. Many of us believe losing weight is a simple matter of willpower. Reading the Bible through and spending time with God merely requires good time management skills.
John 15:5 reminds us that apart from the Lord we can do nothing. I’m guilty of forgetting that at times.
Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser, rather than making impossible-to-keep resolutions I opt for a mini-retreat each year with time set aside to talk to God about what He’d like to see me work on in the upcoming year. I know I can’t fix anything or change anything about myself without God’s help and intervention.
This year what God has asked from me is something big; something I know I cannot do unless He equips me. The task is so big I’m nearly ready to quit before I even begin. While I was spending my quiet time with God this week, He reminded me of Exodus 3:14 (NLT) which says: God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”
Those two little words contain immeasurable power: I AM.
I know for me to accomplish anything this year, apart from God I can do nothing in my own strength, BUT if God calls me to something, the great I AM can equip me and help me to succeed.
If you are resolving to change something in your life this year, have you asked God to help you? Rather than simply relying on your own willpower to lose weight or help you get out of debt, why not invite the great I AM into the middle of your resolution. Let this year be a year of success as you resolve to trust I AM because He is who He says He is.
There are still 342 days left in the year and it’s not too late to ask God to help you change some things in your life you might be unhappy with. Be encouraged and full of hope for I AM is with you and wants to be included in every aspect of your life, or as I like to say, with God’s help there’s a “Happy You Near!”
Blessings,
Kathy K.
Yes! I AM is with us!!!