We are halfway into January. How are those resolutions coming?
I must admit that only a few weeks into the new year and it already feels like “yesterday’s news” to talk about resolutions. Why do we get so excited about the new year only to fizzle out so quickly?
How many of our resolutions are focused on what we wanted to accomplish? Related to how we wanted to look? Eat healthy. Exercise three times a week. Be more organized.
Maybe our goals aren’t just about us, but are focused on others. Write letters of encouragement to friends. Be more patient with my children.
Perhaps we even had spiritual resolutions. Read the Bible daily. Memorize Scripture.
Not that any of these goals are “wrong”. All of them are actually good disciplines to be integrating into our lives.
Did we make any “God resolutions”? When we thought about 2012 did we ask Him how we could make Him known? Glorify Him?
Last year I was strongly convicted of pride in my life. I recognized the root of most of the sin in my life was based on my self-centeredness (aka “pride”).
In studying pride, I gained a better understanding of true humility. It’s not self-abasement or a “woe is me” attitude. It’s about placing God in the center of everything in my life.
“Humility is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God, and allows Him as God to do all…It is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God. Where God is all, self is nothing.” Andrew Murray
Taking myself off the throne of my life and instead placing God in His rightful place as King of Kings. That’s humility.
When I think of 2012 and what goals and resolutions I want to accomplish, I can’t help but view this process with a God-centered perspective. I am humbly seeking what He has for my year and how can He use me to bring Him glory.
If only a few weeks into the year you are feeling discouraged about the resolutions you have already failed to work towards, be encouraged.
At any moment of any day you can resolve to set-aside self. To place God in His rightful place on the throne. To seek to bring Him glory in 2012.
In doing so you will have made and kept your “God Resolution”!
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:8b-11
Daily seeking what He has for me is a beautiful thing. One of my favorite verses is in Isaiah and says to God “You are enthroned above the circle of the earth” – I love to use that in prayer time. but I need to reread the tips for scripture memory to remember where it is!
Thanks for sharing that verse Jeanette! Memorizing the Scripture reference is always the trickest part…isn’t it? That’s one thing I love about the Seeds Family Worship CDs is how they integrate the Scripture reference into the song. God Bless!
Heather you are singing the song of my heart! I too have had a new understanding of true humility over the past few years. You have eloquently explained it here. Beautiful. It is indeed such an encouragement, the best kind because of its abiding truth, that any day, any MOMENT, we can resolve to lay down ourselves and abdicate the role of Lord of our own lives. Indeed it often proves to be a decision we must recommit to time and again. And miraculously that very giving up allows us to become the people He truly wants us to be.
Oh Patti! Thank you for your encouragement. I’m so glad that it resonated with what God is teaching you about humility. I agree…it is definitely a decision we have to recommit to time and again. God bless!
Wow, what a great quote from Andrew Murray.
I pray this today (and onward!) : “Taking myself off the throne of my life and instead placing God in His rightful place as King of Kings. That’s humility.”
Thank you for this encouragement.
Thanks Caroline! Praying for you and your sweet little one. God Bless!
I’ve read through Andrew Murray’s “Humility” twice lately because I need it SO much. Humility is one of the hardest Christ-like traits to get, but one of the most wonderful. Thanks for encouraging us with this, Heather.
Yes! That is exactly the book the quote came from…Andrew Murray is amazing. I’m also working through “Raising your Children for Christ”. Humility is definitely a lifetime goal that will likely only be fully attained when in His presence.