Times like the start of new year, birthdays, and funerals frequently prompt reflective thinking. They can serve as catalysts for personal change, as we compare our current situation with where we’d like to be. I used to push New Year’s resolutions. Some years I subjected our whole family to collective half-day goal-setting sessions in early January, complete with whiteboards, dry-erase markers, and individual planning sheets. Of course all our kids seemed engrossed in my personal development initiative, and continue the annual tradition to this day. NOT! “Are we done yet?” “Can we play now?” What can I say? Their over-achiever dad was doing what he thought was good and right. I probably still have personal change wish lists from the 90s in some file drawer in the basement!
While I no longer write resolutions at the start of the year, I still wholly support individual growth and positive change. And the Bible tells me God does, too. He wants us to be translated from the kingdom of darkness to that of His Son. And He wants us to be conformed to the character of Jesus instead of to the world from which we came. The good news? We don’t have to grit our teeth and do it alone! He invites us to be filled with an unequaled Helper, the Holy Spirit, who serves as trainer, personal coach, and encourager. On top of that, He equips us with His Word to set us up for success (Joshua 1:8).
Whether circumstances demand it or the Holy Spirit lovingly nudges us in an area of needed change, God wants us to enlist His help. No matter how many times we may have failed in the past, the changes in behavior that He prompts are well within our reach.
Since everyone who is born again is a new creation, acting like Jesus and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit is our new normal (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:22-23). The only things in the way are our old patterns of believing, thinking, and behaving. These all represent temptations to act like someone we no longer are! God made a wonderful observation and promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.
This means your problem is not unique. Whatever weakness you deal with, God has already dealt with and He offers a way out. (See Hebrews 4:15.) The devil wants you to believe otherwise, to see yourself as forever stuck in negative patterns, with no hope. Lies! God wants you to rise above, to overcome. And you have everything you need to do so (2 Peter 1:3-4). Hold that thing up to God and thank Him that while it may seem impossible for you, nothing is impossible for Him! Jesus in you will help you make better choices every moment of the day.
Thank you, JB – very encouraging words for the new year!