We all have temptations and will most likely fail with our New Year's Resolution.
It is interesting to be reminded and realized that Christian do not do "resolutions" but rather "repentance" in order to change every New Year. Often resolutions do not last because they are basically "delaying" repenting" for those who wants to change. Christians have the opportunity to repent daily if they fail which means we can focus on our goals daily, one day at a time rather than following our resolution goals. In order for us to take credit for success when we achieve a resolution, we must repent daily. After each time we repent, we are to look at the barriers that were in our way. As Christians, we are to have continuous sanctification process of repenting throughout our Christian lives because we will never be perfect. We need to develop "coping strategies" to deal with problems that will come up. It is not about achieving anything by my own effort but rather believing in what God has accomplished and trusting Him to "work it in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure" and "to complete the work He began in me". I can't have a right faith by anything I do because that is based on self-effort instead of what is given to me by the Holy Spirit who actually gives me strength through Grace. My faith is to trust God who makes me effective according to His will.
Based on Christian Tradition and Scriptures, God’s design for us is to be radically transforms by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) that our hope for this radical transformation is by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Often sin in a Christian's life ignores the Holy Spirit that he/she is not willing to acknowledge the conviction. That's the trouble with Christians when they tend to focus on superficial desires rather than their hearts to change by the Holy Spirit. Wisdom by definition means quality of being wise; power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience and understanding (In 1 Peter 1: 13 – 16). We are to present our bodies "as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God". Truth is, the Holy Spirit is able to grasp our inner being only when we submit completely which will allow Him to teach us, lead us mysterious and divine where we ought to go. "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." — Psalm 86:11.
My daily life always face some obstacles in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. This is where “regret” comes in. Those obstacles were my life which I need to repent and change. Sin by accident is part of our sinful nature as Galatians 5:17 says: For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Christ turned from the fallen world of Adam and spoke about another world altogether, a world where Adam's philosophy is invalid and his technique inoperative. Jesus doesn’t want to destroy our wills, but to sanctify them. I have learned to understand the true nature of the Christian life which is unpredictable and expanding called "sanctification". God does not desire to destroy my will, but to sanctify “my will into His will”. During the sanctification process, spiritual training which is forming spiritual fruits that we need to arm them spiritually to wrestle against the world, the devil and the flesh. I am to surrender to the Holy Spirit (God) to produce spiritual fruits. Richard Foster said, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. . . . The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people. “ Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” We live in a wonderful age, but it has a dark side. Many of us today are in a "structural hurry”—a fast pace is “structure” into our lives.
Let’s begin the new year by resolving to call “time out” to peer into our souls and repent. We need to understand God’s unchanging nature that our job is not to change God—but rather to let Him change the core affections of our hearts. We must come humbly and negotiate a full “surrender” to Him. We all feel very much ashamed if we do not yield to Jesus the areas of our lives He has asked us to yield to Him which is "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest— my best for His glory." To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or of reasoning.
In my own life, often I am blinded by my own selfishness which effectively blocks out any possible efforts for me to discover a remedy for my current negative conditions so I can change. I am just a man with many faults and shortcomings of my own. There is a close cause-and-effect relationship between benefits and negative consequences around my life. God has always provided a way for me to escape the bad fruits of my past however, often, I chose not to because I was following my flesh's desire more than my spiritual desire. I know that I am still capable of change and I can become something other than what I am today.
How can I change?
What can I do to change?
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