I’m not one for much reality TV, but there are a few gems out there that I think shed light on important issues and bring real life change for the people involved. The Biggest Loser is one of those gems for me. It’s one of my favorite shows on TV. I had never stopped to really think about obesity. I just assumed (I am ashamed to admit) that overweight people were overweight simply because they liked eating and didn’t want to stop. After watching a few seasons of the show, I realized that obesity is often brought on by much deeper life battles, like the loss of a loved one, the struggle to feel valued, a serious injury, or poor eating habits introduced in childhood. There is almost always an underlying dilemma that each of the show’s participants must learn to face before they will find success in keeping the weight off.
In trying to see resolutions through to completion in past years, I have often found myself discouraged, defeated and disappointed in myself. I try to accomplish the goal that’s in front of me, but it’s like there’s this huge pile of bricks tied on behind me that I’m having to drag the whole way. The weight of it all is too much. I give up. There’s always next year.
But the problem with next year is that the pile of bricks is still there.
The thing that has us giving up by the first of February is the very thing we have to turn around and deal with. It’s not just pushing forward to the goal that gets us to the goal. Almost always, there is an underlying dilemma that we must learn to face before finding success in the goal.
If I were to make a list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, it would look something like this:
1. Get up earlier
2. Be more consistent with study time in the Word
3. Maintain a clean kitchen as often as possible
4. De-clutter
5. De-clutter
6. De-clutter
This is a GREAT list of resolutions. In fact, I imagine yours might look similar. But when I zoom in a little, take a closer look, I see an underlying dilemma. My problem is not that I sleep too late or don’t like reading the Bible or have broken arms which disable me from moving the dishes from the counter to the dishwasher. My problem, my underlying dilemma, is that I lack self-discipline.
I lack self-discipline.
That’s my pile of bricks. And until I turn around and deal with that, I will never see the positive resolutions fulfilled.
So this year I am doing something a little different. No resolutions. No lists. No ideal of the better person I will be by 2013. Instead, there will be one word.
One word will guide me through the year. One word will be like a flag in the front yard of my life. One word will be my motivation, my determination, my resolution. I will choose just one word to focus on in 2012, and let the goals fall as they will from there.
My word for 2012, and also our family’s Word of the Month for January, is…
……..drum roll please………….
SELF-CONTROL.
You guessed it! This is the fruit that the Spirit has been working into my heart little by little over the past 6 years. I know this is a work that the Lord wants to fulfill in my life. My prayer this New Year’s Eve is that 2012 will be a year of great break-through in this area. I will continue to pray over this word, this fruit, this transformation, and will let the word rest as an umbrella over my life this year. I want to let God do His work here.
Maybe it’s one of those years for you, too, when the list of resolutions needs to go in the trash and you need to turn around and face that pile of bricks. What is the underlying dilemma that’s buried there?
Because truly, the resolve is in getting up every day and taking one step to lift one brick off the pile that’s keeping you from your goals. The resolve is in choosing one step in the Spirit, instead of in the flesh, so that the Spirit can bring about the heart change that leads to better life. Fuller life. FULLEST LIFE!
Will you pick one word for 2012? Will you tackle the pile of bricks? And your word is…
drum roll please………………………………
