Resolution Check-up

Resolute, "marked by a firm determination." Resolution, "the act or process of reducing to a simpler form", "the act of determining", "a formal expression of will or intent or opinion."

It's the middle of March and I thought it would be a great time to do a New Year's Resolution Check-up. Millions of people make resolutions, millions succeed, so many fail.

I was asked to do an interview with a major news channel this New's Year Eve, and as I was preparing my remarks, it occured to me urgently to not talk about the same things we hear every year about losing weight, saving money, stop smoking, stop drinking, get out of debt etc. All of those things are very important. I believe that many fail (me included) because those resolutions lack something, and once done leave us with a short term sense of accomplishment. So I thought, "what is the answer to resolutions?"

The bible does not speak directly about New Year's Resolutions, but the bible does speak about love for God, and love for mankind. The greatest commandment, "you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all you mind......And you shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39). With this in mind, my comments on resolutions became clear. Our focus in our resolutions should be on others and not ourselves. Instead of my goal is to lose weight, maybe my resolution should be to assist someone who has weight issues also, or better still, someone who has little food to eat. Instead of focusing on how we look, we could help someone this year who needs confidence in how they look and feel about themselves? Instead of focusing on ourselves, put the focus this year on helping someone else achieve a goal, help someone else solve a problem, help someone else in need, just simply help!

I believe we lose sight, and therefore lose focus when we make the same New Years Resolutions because they lack the power to last. In helping others, THERE IS NO FAILURE, in helpful ourselves......well, we let ourselves down all the time. In helping others there is relationships that last, there is community that grows, there is something inside of the person you help that lasts. And in you there is something that feels better than the extra pound lost or new toy you saved for.

The problem with our way of doing resolutions is that it speaks to the issue of contentment, or that there is something wrong with our lives (and yes, we all have things we deal with). If we would only stop chasing things, or what the world tells us (through TV, Radio, Magazines) what we should look like, what we should feel like, we'd be better off. When we learn to live within ourself, the way God intended, our lives would be made easier( the act or process of reducing to a simpler form).

The answer for you and me, is simple. Base your resolutions, New Year's or otherwise on principles of Patience, Kindness, Forgiveness, Caring, Sharing. Think God first, mankind second, self third. "Trust in the Lord, with all your heart, lean not onto thy own understanding, in ALL ways acknowledge HIM, and he will direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

If you have not made a New Year's Resolution, or just believe it's time to re-evaluate where you are with it, here's your check-up. I hope and pray that this blesses you, so that you maybe a blessing to someone else. Love and Peace.