Do You Feel Like Quitting Already?
It’s just day four of 2019 and maybe you’re already feeling like quitting before you ever really get started on your New Year’s resolutions. Actually, I’m eating one more bite of salted chocolate peppermint bark (yum), inwardly saying – “Just a few more days and I’ll turn over a new health leaf! But for now, too many other things to do and get done to focus on healthy eating!” I really do plan to get back to my quiet times with the Lord in the mornings, but “This morning I need to shorten it up because I have a meeting to get to AND I want to help get my daughter’s kitchen in her new home set up!” I plan on being more active physically, but “I’ll get after it once I have this obligation and this responsibility finished!”
And, so goes the aspirations and really good intentions. Each January I’m hit with the recognition of how utterly human I am. I become an idealist, I set a goal (or ten), and then I slack off. become disappointed, and then I give up. Take my journalling, for example. I’m on point for several days and then I go for days before I come back and stretch my brain to remember those days and what God and I did together. So far, I’m on point — but it is only Day #4!
It’s true that January can act as a clean slate. A fresh new start. A new beginning. Old things are passed away and behold, all things are brand spanking new! That’s what we love about it, isn’t it? We’re all longing to be made new. But Jesus is teaching me that, with Him, each day — each moment — is a clean slate. We don’t have to force ourselves into a rigid routine, but instead, start to recognize His gentle and loving rhythms of grace.
Honestly, this first-of-the-year push to turn over new leaves – just reminds me that I need to get to my yard and rake up all those leaves that are huddled on my front porch and bushes. I am certain that this year I will have intentional intimate times of fellowship with my Lord and He will reveal sweet nuggets of gold from His Word to me. I am also certain there will be days when there is so much on my mind that I won’t give Him my best attention and I’ll miss some of those nuggets. I also know I won’t suddenly become an avid-never-missing-a-day of work-outs in the gym. I will not get all stressed out about when I’ll get this or that done, but I will take each day and complete all I can in it. I will stop to pick up a call from a friend who needs prayer. Right. This. Minute. She doesn’t need: “I’ll be praying for you!” She needs: “Let’s pray right now and seek God for His wisdom.”
Tomorrow I’ll wake up and my goal will be to spend quality time with my Lord. I might even get so caught up in my time with Him, I’ll forget about my “To Do” list that can be done later or even tomorrow. Oh. Wait. Tomorrow is Sunday and hip hip hooray – I’ll not miss that opportunity to be with Him at church. I’ll meet Him there when I see my friends. I’ll meet Him there in the songs we sing. I’ll meet Him there in partaking of His body and blood that gives me nourishment and strength. Maybe Monday – I will go back to the gym and, eventually, I’ll become more absolute in the importance of my health and strength and energy. Eventually, I will be so full of God’s Word in me, that I won’t be able to contain it all and I MUST do more than my blogging to get it all out of me.
Tomorrow I’ll wake up and my goal will be to spend quality time with my Lord. I might even get so caught up in my time with Him, I’ll forget about my “To Do” list that can be done later or even tomorrow. Oh. Wait. Tomorrow is Sunday and hip hip hooray – I’ll not miss that opportunity to be with Him at church. I’ll meet Him there when I see my friends. I’ll meet Him there in the songs we sing. I’ll meet Him there in partaking of His body and blood that gives me nourishment and strength. Maybe Monday – I will go back to the gym and, eventually, I’ll become more absolute in the importance of my health and strength and energy. Eventually, I will be so full of God’s Word in me, that I won’t be able to contain it all and I MUST do more than my blogging to get it all out of me.
Eventually, maybe tomorrow, I’ll be that gal who is so on purpose that all those goals and aspirations I put out there for this year will be as rhythmic and routine in my life, as brushing my teeth. But, in the meantime, I’ll thank God for His grace in sticking with my consistency AND inconsistency. Here’s to His grace that bears with me. Here’s to today – Day Four -and here’s to tomorrow – Day Four of a year that promises to be blessed and highly favored because of God’s amazing grace!