The New Year is not even a week old and already my resolution to lose weight is slightly broken. Okay! That’s an exaggeration. It’s totally broken. I blame the residual effects of the holidays, which is easier than blaming myself. It happened something like this…
December 31: I resolve to eat healthy.
January 1: Is there still some eggnog left after the holidays? I think there is. I see it in the back of refrigerator. Wouldn’t that be good poured over a little scoop of butter pecan ice cream??? Yes, it would. I’ve tried it before and yes, it is good.
January 2: Is that left over cheesecake I see? I really don’t want to throw that out. I’ll just eat a little sliver.
January 3: How could there possibly be any homemade, gooey chocolate chip cookies left? But there are some! One cookie wouldn’t hurt.
So it goes. And the tragedy is that I’m usually not tempted by sweets. My downfall is meat, potatoes, and butter. I do think butter is one of the most perfect foods created. That’s about all Julia Childs and I have in common because I rarely cook anymore now that the kids are grown and out of the house.
There’s something about all those left over holiday goodies being in the house after the New Year that makes me think the celebration is not yet over. And once I slip-up on adhering to my new healthy eating resolution, I get discouraged and give up altogether. Actually, I guess I’ll use any excuse to quit doing what I know I need to do. Besides, there’s always next year.
That’s one of the problems with resolutions. We feel they must be made with the start of a new year, as if at exactly one minute past midnight of a new year we will be magically empowered with the ability to overcome our flaws. It doesn’t work that way. While it’s true a new year is a new beginning so is a new day. And it’s day to day living that eventually helps us live better lives year to year. However, day to day living cannot fully rely on our resolve because our resolve just isn’t good enough.
God in his infinite wisdom knows we need extra help living our daily lives and fortunately He provides it. He also knows our resolutions can’t be thought of annually but must be tackled daily. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Re-new means to make new again.
Each day is a new day. Each day is an opportunity to renew our resolve. When we fall, we get up and face a new day. Each day we take up our cross and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) God gives us what we need to make it through another day…our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11, Luke 11:3) Paul said he died daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31) He recommitted to the sacrifice Jesus made for Him daily. God’s mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)
Let’s face it. New Year’s resolutions might be fine for the world but in the Christian life they just don’t cut it. We have to begin anew each and every day.
