Broken Resolutions
So we’re over half-way through January and if the statistics are correct almost 25% of us have already broken our New Year’s resolution. (What do you mean that Twinkie’s aren’t whole-grain? I wasn’t “yelling” at my kids; I was simply enunciating in a loud voice.)
If you’re like me and a whopping 60% of us, our resolutions won’t make it past July and another 30% will join our sorry crowd by December. Only about 10% of all New Year’s resolutions will actually be life-altering changes.
And if we’re honest with ourselves, didn’t we all kind of know that deep down in our gut? I mean, sure, we really, really, really wanted to change. We really, really, really understood the necessity of change. We really, really, really committed to change. We even bought a gym membership or put the Bible reading schedule on the refrigerator. We promised ourselves no more yelling at the kids. This year would be different. But even as you did, didn’t you feel that nagging doubt about the probability of success? I did.
So what gives? Why is it so frustratingly hard to change?
Ask the self-help gurus and they’ll give you a list of 10 helpful hints of “How to Make that Resolution Stick.” It will include everything from having support of family and friends to only making smaller, manageable changes. And while these are good ideas, they miss one basic, fundamental truth: we human beings are a pretty helpless lot left to ourselves.
Unfortunately, we’ve been taught the exact opposite. As a society, we’ve pretty much convinced ourselves that we are able to change on our own. It’s the American way. We’re self-made people. We pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. When the going gets tough, we get tougher and get going. And if we’re not careful, we end up judging those around us who aren’t tough enough to make it.
That is, until it’s us.
The wonderful, grace-filled thing about New Year’s resolutions and the fact that most of us end up breaking them is that it shows us just how weak and desperate and helpless we really are. It humbles us and reminds us of what we already knew. Let’s face it, if we need to make the resolution in the first place, weren’t we already failing?
And if God were a God that judged us on our ability to be strong, on our ability to make something of ourselves, we’d be in a heap of trouble. But God isn’t like that because strong people simply don’t need Him. And strong people don’t bring Him glory.
It’s the rest of us, the 90% of us that can’t even keep a resolution that desperately and helplessly need Him. And it’s the rest of us who are going to cry out to Him when we don’t have the strength to resist temptation, the ability to manage our lives, or the will to stop yelling at our kids. I’m not saying that God is going to miraculously make that extra 15 pounds disappear or even that He’ll erase your credit card debt. But when we can’t do it, when we’re weak, He is strong.
So go ahead embrace that broken resolution, look it square in the eye and accept that you failed. Once again. And be comforted by the fact that your God specializes in second chances and broken, weak people. Maybe the best thing that can happen to any of us at the start of 2011 is a fresh dose of humility and a large dose of God’s love and power to change us.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 1:6; 2:13 (NLT)
So we’re over half-way through January and if the statistics are correct almost 25% of us have already broken our New Year’s resolution. (What do you mean that Twinkie’s aren’t whole-grain? I wasn’t “yelling” at my kids; I was simply enunciating in a loud voice.)
If you’re like me and a whopping 60% of us, our resolutions won’t make it past July and another 30% will join our sorry crowd by December. Only about 10% of all New Year’s resolutions will actually be life-altering changes.
And if we’re honest with ourselves, didn’t we all kind of know that deep down in our gut? I mean, sure, we really, really, really wanted to change. We really, really, really understood the necessity of change. We really, really, really committed to change. We even bought a gym membership or put the Bible reading schedule on the refrigerator. We promised ourselves no more yelling at the kids. This year would be different. But even as you did, didn’t you feel that nagging doubt about the probability of success? I did.
So what gives? Why is it so frustratingly hard to change?
Ask the self-help gurus and they’ll give you a list of 10 helpful hints of “How to Make that Resolution Stick.” It will include everything from having support of family and friends to only making smaller, manageable changes. And while these are good ideas, they miss one basic, fundamental truth: we human beings are a pretty helpless lot left to ourselves.
Unfortunately, we’ve been taught the exact opposite. As a society, we’ve pretty much convinced ourselves that we are able to change on our own. It’s the American way. We’re self-made people. We pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. When the going gets tough, we get tougher and get going. And if we’re not careful, we end up judging those around us who aren’t tough enough to make it.
That is, until it’s us.
The wonderful, grace-filled thing about New Year’s resolutions and the fact that most of us end up breaking them is that it shows us just how weak and desperate and helpless we really are. It humbles us and reminds us of what we already knew. Let’s face it, if we need to make the resolution in the first place, weren’t we already failing?
And if God were a God that judged us on our ability to be strong, on our ability to make something of ourselves, we’d be in a heap of trouble. But God isn’t like that because strong people simply don’t need Him. And strong people don’t bring Him glory.
It’s the rest of us, the 90% of us that can’t even keep a resolution that desperately and helplessly need Him. And it’s the rest of us who are going to cry out to Him when we don’t have the strength to resist temptation, the ability to manage our lives, or the will to stop yelling at our kids. I’m not saying that God is going to miraculously make that extra 15 pounds disappear or even that He’ll erase your credit card debt. But when we can’t do it, when we’re weak, He is strong.
So go ahead embrace that broken resolution, look it square in the eye and accept that you failed. Once again. And be comforted by the fact that your God specializes in second chances and broken, weak people. Maybe the best thing that can happen to any of us at the start of 2011 is a fresh dose of humility and a large dose of God’s love and power to change us.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 1:6; 2:13 (NLT)
~Hannah R. Anderson
Great post, Hannah! Wow- you are so right and I am so not dependent on God as I should be in my weakness. THANK YOU for this reminder!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hannah! I loved reading that blog! I think it is especially silly that we make resolutions in January because it seems like such a yucky, gray month to me! I lose all resolve to even try to reach my goals! I am going to look it all square in the eye and ask God for help once again! We miss you!!
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