Intentions & Resolutions 2013

Resolution

                                                     1.The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.

2.A resolving to do something.

                             3.A course of action determined or decided on.

It's that time of the year...again. That time that we sincerely promise...uh,resolve...to turn over a new leaf...to give up a bad habit...or two. I love this quote from Ben Harper,

“Life is short and if you're looking for extension, you had best do well. 'Cause there's good deeds and then there's good intentions. They are as far apart as Heaven and Hell.”

We live lives of good intention sometimes...but most of the time we don't. As you can see from the definition, a resolution is based on a firm determination...and that firm determination is usually based on our individual limited will power and what we can do on our own. Apparently it is the most difficult thing because every year the resolutions are essentially the same...we long for the same things and seek some personal or hopefully, physical transformation. Sadly, every single year, the majority of us fail. In fact, here is a list of the “Top 10 Failed New Years' Resolutions”:

1. Lose Weight and Get Fit
2. Quit Smoking
3. Learn Something New
4. Eat Healthier and Diet
5. Get Out of Debt and Save Money
6. Spend More Time with Family
7. Travel to New Places
8. Be Less Stressed
9. Volunteer
10. Drink Less

I am sure that you might see some of your 2013 resolutions and maybe even ones' from years past. I certainly do. I am also sure you realize that broken resolutions are not personal moral failures but simply broken promises...some made to yourself...some made to others...some even made to God. I would imagine that a broken promise made to God carries much more weight than one I would make to myself. I would guess, however,that God might be used to that from us. He is well aware of our glaring inabilities and our stubborn determination to always do it “our way”. I think it is abundantly clear...we can have all the good intentions possible but if we do not follow up the action plan with...well, action, then it's doomed to failure. These resolutions, in effect, mirror how many of us live out our daily comfortable faith journey. In James 2: 14-17, it says,

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

It seems obvious that faith was designed, from the beginning to be a two step process...just as with your soon to be abandoned New Years resolutions. We more often travel on a tear stained trail of broken promises and surrendered dreams because of our affinity for self sufficiency. We love to sit back and admire what we have done operating under our own power. We love to make elaborate plans and set goals and spend inordinate amounts of energy on that process. As the verse from James says there's an action piece required. That action piece requires stepping out in bold and resolute faith despite any logical reason not to. God empowers us in an unexpected and extraordinary way to succeed where we are likely to fail. This, of course, glorifies God...not us. We can be very determined to get fit, eat right, improve our health all we want, but if we don't take the first step... which leads to more steps, it really doesn't matter. I have heard it said many times...faith is a verb. It is. I also have hear it said New Years resolutions never change...they don't