First, a side note—while it's
true that my writing can sound a bit like preaching, the fact is I'm
preaching to myself first and foremost. I just hope that others may also
benefit from what I need to learn.
I've mentioned before that I
don't make New Year's resolutions. It isn't that I don't have things I'd like
to change, but I've been disappointed by the futility of trying to discipline
the flesh apart from the intervening work of God. Jesus didn't come to reform
us in the flesh, but to transform us into new creations. Having said that, I realize
that we have to spend a lifetime in this fallen, fleshly body before we get to
enjoy the full benefits of the new creation. And while we’re here we’d like to
make the best of it. So here are Scriptures things I’ve been thinking about
that have helped me to reframe my thoughts about resolutions. While I’m
focusing on sinful actions, the same principles apply to anything that is
unwise or unhealthy.
“The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). “For out of the heart come
evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander”
(Matt. 15:19). Our lives are basically controlled by our mind/heart, and everything we do, both good and bad, starts with our thought processes. A sex addict doesn’t suddenly find himself in a hotel room with
a strange woman and not remember how he got there. A woman on a diet doesn’t
eat a pint of ice cream and not remember picking up the carton. Every wrong
action begins with a first thought, a second glance, or a few steps on the
familiar path.
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires” (Rom. 13:14). Just
as wrong actions initiate from our thoughts, the solution also has to start in
our thoughts. It’s easy to think, “I can handle that little temptation without
giving in.” We’re wrong more often than not. Resisting temptation and changing
habits may require some significant changes in our routines—avoiding certain
places or situations that tend to trip us up, finding people to keep us
accountable, and fixing our attention on things that will lift us up instead of
pulling us down. “Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious,
excellent, worthy of praise—think about these things” (Phil. 4:8).
I am reminded of a time many
years ago when I was frustrated and fed up with a lot of things. I decided in
my mind that I was going to go buy some alcohol as a way to cope with the
issues. (I’m not saying that drinking is necessarily bad, but my motives were
certainly wrong.) So I went to a grocery store I didn’t normally frequent, to
try to remain anonymous. As I was scanning the aisles, who should I run into
but someone from church. That scuttled my plans pretty quickly!
Sometimes God intervenes when
we plan to sin, but sometimes He lets us sin and then face the consequences. “No
temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He
will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will
also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor.
10:13). We don’t always want to look for the way out, but we need to learn to
do so if we are really going to change.
“Do not be conformed to this
world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Rom.
