Day 8 The New Year is Resolved in the Life that Evolves!

“No one puts a piece of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9: 16 & 17

New Years Day is a day set apart for making New Year’s resolutions. Those things we want to change about ourselves or the goals we want to accomplish. While the idea of wanting the New Year to be better than the last is a great concept, the unfortunate thing is, most people break their resolutions within a few weeks of making them.

With this in mind I want to encourage you to try something different today. Instead of making a list of resolutions, make a list of Scriptures that define who God says you are and make a commitment to read them every day this year. Spend time asking Him what His purpose is for your life. Take time to discover your gifts and talents and make time to develop them. As Matthew 9: 16 & 17 says, it is impossible to expect new wine (thoughts or actions) in this case, to stay in old wineskins (state of mind or way of thinking). In time the new thoughts or actions will dissipate and you will go right back to your old way of life.

So just saying or writing down the things you want to change or goals you want to accomplish will not last unless you change your belief system about yourself. If you accept yourself as a person of great worth and value, and accept yourself as one who reigns in life victorious, whose been created with a purpose, you will be able to accomplish even more than the list of resolutions you were going to write down.

This can only happen if you adopt a belief system about yourself that validates these truths. God has placed inside of you everything you need to live a victorious and abundant life. In order to access it you have to believe it! Then you have to act on that belief!

So this year spend less time trying to change what you do or don’t do, and spend time changing the way you think about yourself. Spend less time feeling defeated, and spend more time living each day on purpose. Spend less time comparing yourself to others, and spend more time developing your own gifts and talents. Spend less time being critical, and spend more time giving praise. Spend less time making commitments you won’t keep, and spend more time developing character.

If you will take me up on this challenge for the coming year, you will be blessed beyond measure and filled with peace and joy. And next year when you turn back to reflect on the year, you will see the path of your life has been marked with success, contentment, purpose, and joy!

Prayer: I praise you for the newness of each day where I get the opportunity to spend time with You, learning of Your great love and purpose for my life! I praise you for placing in me everything I need for a life of abundance! I believe by faith that I will become who you created me to be, and I will make an impact on the people in my life, as I develop the gifts and talents that reside within me. I believe by faith that as I surrender my will to Yours, I will see Your plans for my life unfold this year!