Tis the season to make resolutions.
Whatever matters most to you. Whatever you feel would enrich your life most. The good stuff.
Have you noticed that resolutions often involve dieting, or, what I would call some type of abstinence? A going without mentality. In the case of dieting – going without cookies, and fat, and sugars, and adding in often a list of foods you don’t much like.
Why not approach resolutions more as life additions, rather than subtractions? Putting the good stuff back in our lives.
Don’t we all want more of the good stuff?
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Phillipians 4:8
I’m wondering how to put more of the Phillipian ‘whatevers’ into my resolutions.
I want to use my resolve – my convictions – to recalibrate my life and return to the whatevers that matter most. Allow them to permeate my life – to infiltrate it. Add some of the good stuff back in.
The ‘how to’ according to the passage is simple – think upon such things….
Perhaps my resolutions could be more about thoughts – attitudes, less about accomplishments. More about how I live, than what I do.
With this in mind, I’ll share my list of personal resolutions that I hope may add more whatevers to my life….
- Be Grateful More > Complain Less
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God..” – I Thess 5:18
- More Hope > Less Fear
“Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.” – Isaiah 41:10
- Grow More Here > Wander Less
“Be content whatever your circumstances..” – Phil 4:11
- Give More > Spend Less
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good…” – Isaiah55:2
- Pray More > Worry Less
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation … present your requests to God. And the peace of God…will guard your hearts…” – Phil 4:6,7
- Forgive more > Judge Less
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged….Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” – Luke 6:37
- Laugh More > Criticize Less
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22
** This may be a familiar post for those of you who’ve been around this site for awhile. I’d ask for your grace. It is a remake – but I find myself drawn to the topic of redefining resolutions. So, here it is again, with the small addition of the Phillipians passage. I leave you with my prayer for each of you for the New Year…
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
