Here we are, at the beginning of the end.
His mercies are new every morning.
Resolutions are good things especially at the start of the year. They allow us to stamp down markers on the mist ahead. According to Ying’s dad, if we don’t put down any markers, we will be N.A.T.O- No Action, Talk Only.
Here are mine and how I plan on going about achieving them: Reach for the moon, fall on the stars.
1. Learn more about being Godly, wise and street-smart.
I plan to reread Piper’s Battling Unbelief, moving between the devotional books I have with me and Spurgeon’s Treasury on David online. I plan to keep on training my ear to listen to pearls of wisdom whenever God puts them in front of me. I plan to put some actions which I’ve learnt from smart people into practice.
2. Learn up and apply more cooking and household skills until it becomes a second nature in order that my life will not be filled with ‘yuen wang lu’- roughly translated: unnecessary roads.
I plan to keep up my effort of changing I-Have-Tos to I-Want-Tos (perspective) and making work sacred. I will open my eyes and continue garnering new skills for a flexible life- able to do with/ without luxuries.
3. Stay consistent on my studies and devotions.
I plan to study hard and pray when I don’t have the strength or discipline. I plan to remember to commune with God multiple times a day.
4. Keep up a healthy diet and exercise- avoid stress, anxiety and tamp down my hormonal swings.
I plan to go jogging when I have accompaniment, swimming alone if I dare, and do indoor exercise. I plan to meditate on verses. I plan to read up on my body once every 2 mths to see what it needs.
5. Develop and retain a positive way in looking at as many things in life.
I plan to TALK to my BODY and not letting it TALK to ME(Piper) to avoid despondency. I anticipate this to be the toughest challenge yet but I believe that God’s grace is sufficient for me to be faithful.
6. Make new friends and treasure the ones that I have.
I plan to press on when people don’t seem to care. I plan to appreciate and encourage people when it seems fitting to do so. I plan to look out for the people who are singled out and speak to them first. Looks, as always, are deceiving.
7. Love God and others flowing from that love.
I plan to do my part in discovering more about God and letting God change that knowledge of him into love. Knowledge puffs up. Love builds up.
8. Love and appreciate my loved ones
I plan to be more receptive, repentant and sensitive to those close to me that may hurt as a result of my words and actions. I plan to be more caring and understanding. I plan to forgive others as God has forgiven me. I pray for God to continue to soften my heart and by His grace allow me to love rightly. To despise that which ought to be despised and to love that which should be loved.
9. Be more discerning in the truth. Break the habit of linking and heaping things together(a female exhibits this during times of emotional weakness).
I plan to doubt my mind when it throws accusations/ condemnations upon myself or others. I plan to offer everything bugging me up to God in prayer and thanksgiving. I plan to learn the skill of casting my cares on Christ. I plan to exercise faith in the future grace through Christ.
10. Complain less. Exhort more.
I plan to do what I taught my tuition kids through a sudden inspiration.
To complain is to: Talk about bad, angry, unsatisfying, prideful, sad, fearful things.
Emotions are helpful in crossing over a tough period in life. When that emotion festers into complaining, that becomes unsanctified emotions and on a more alarming note, it indicates that we do not have faith in the future grace God promises in Christ.
Some Examples:
Sanctified Anger: A mother is angry when a child disobeys and takes steps to discipline the child in love and not in spite.
Unsanctified: The mother complains to the father: ” Look at your daughter! Why did we beget daughters! This is a cursed life! Other kids are so obedient… etc etc etc”. Anger turns into hatred, frustration, agony, bitterness through complaining.
Sanctified Unsatisfaction: A student is unsatisfied over the biasedness practiced by her teacher.
Unsanctified: The student badmouths the student favoured by the teacher and even if the allegations of the girl starts off being the truth, she will find herself slowly sinking into exaggeration and outright expression of hatred against that teacher’s pet. Unknowingly, she finds herself treating that student as her own enemy.Unsatisfaction turns into hatred, anger, bitterness, jealousy through complaining.
Sanctified Sadness: A woman working all her life to make ends meet for her family or single-handedly manning the household with a passive husband, being unappreciated.
Unsanctified Sadness: The woman passing the cloud of ‘bitterness and unsatisfaction’ to her family and everyone she comes in contact with who asks her how she is doing. Her tone is marred with unsatisfaction and stress. She thinks that by complaining, her heart’s sorrows will disperse. But what it is in effect doing, is solidifying all the mud(negativity) into stone. What she will end up with is an unfeeling heart of stone despite the noble beginning she started from which is to: upkeep her own family which is no easy task. What a waste of a woman. What a blessing she would be if she would turn and let God in to help deal with the repressed hurts. Sadness becomes a life not worth living, hopelessness, pain, loneliness, the world collapsing on you(overwhelmed), when it seems as though everything in the world is against you, and finally a dejected, rejected soul through complaining.
I felt compelled to expound here because likewise, I am also subject to this maggot of complaining but this is no reason for backing down on the fight. Because we know where our future lies, we shall fight this good fight against the ‘fiery darts’ the enemy throws at us. With the Sword of the Spirit(the Word) and the Shield of Faith( which comes from hearing the Word), we can be the children of God that He has called us to be through Christ.
This is evermoreso important as we enter the New Year with new resolutions, new purposes in our hearts for the tasks that are set ahead of us mortally and spiritually. The dealing with complains is very relevant, in my opinion, in achieving the good resolutions we lay down especially if it includes a more permanent growth or improvement.
So, as I end the last resolution I have in my top ten list, which is also the longest one of them all, I cheer you all on, to pursue your knowledge in everlasting things and through that, may you be blessed with wisdom to deal with the knowledge you garnered in order that you may not waste away yet another fleeting year. The years will get more and more fleeting as time passes by, mind you! And last of all, I pray that in times of trial and challenges where ‘mud(negativity) gets slung on your windshield’ in this year, that God will be with you and by His grace and Your corresponding faith you will be able to let Him help you ‘wipe them off’ and continue on your map.
Line to Remember: TALK TO YOURSELF NOT LET YOURSELF TALK TO YOU!
