This is our first article of the year! Thus we are beginning again. We have a fresh New Year. We have a fresh new slate. We have twelve months before us. Let us look at what is before us as we begin this brand new year.
Some of us will find that change is not easy. We really know this every month. Do you find that when you write checks each month it is not nearly long enough? No, I am not talking about the money, I am talking about we get use to writing one month in the date line and the next thing you know that month is finished and we have to write a new month. The same may be true for the year. It seems as though it was just yesterday that we were writing 2023 now we must write 2024. James was right when he said, “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that” (James 4:13-15). Others in the Bible have said that life is short also. When we think of life not being very long, we know that change is coming, and change is not always easy.
Do you remember when you were growing? Do you remember those growing pains? When you were in school and taking a new subject did you find that is was always ease? Growing and learning take us out of our comfort zone. When we are out of our comfort zone, no matter what age we are, there are going to be pains.
We may have made a New Year resolution that we are going to lose weight. This is one of the most common New Year resolutions there is. Weight loss programs no matter what they are always have an increase at the first of the year. If it is a diet book they sell more at the first of the year. If it is new exercise equipment more is sold at the first of the year. We have made this resolution and we are going to lose this weight; this year! Then we begin. We get out of our comfort zone. We are watching what we eat. We are very careful, then…. The pain starts! You see when we get out of that comfort zone that we have around us, it is painful. The sore muscles begin. We get tired. That fried chicken is placed before us and we know how good that is! Then there is that pecan pie! Oh, we forgot the mashed potatoes with the gravy. Don’t mention the home made biscuits, sopped in butter with jelly or jam running down the side! Did someone mention ice cream, with chocolate syrup on it? There goes that diet! There goes that New Year’s resolution. But wait, it is not time to stop, it is a time to begin again.
In spiritual terms what we need now is repentance. We may have made the decision to become a Christian. We have acted upon that decision. We are now a Christian. But… Satan, temptations begin to act upon us and we give in! What do we do now? It is not time to quit! It is time to “look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). It is time for us to “… seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).
When we made that resolution to lose weight or if we are a Christian the best thing for us is to never give up. If we do happen to slip up, it is what we do next that states if we will be successful or not. We need to keep our focus on the goal and do our best to never give up! We will make it. Start out great and finish great! Heaven will be waiting upon all of us!
Love Keith
