Guest post by Cheryl Meakins, Women’s Ministry Director @ Arvada Covenant and member of my Speaker Board.
Seems like I subjugate myself to the same old routine every year.
After the Christmas celebration is over (the trail of torn paper and thousands of wire connectors that hold the kids toys into the packaging and the millions of dirty dishes from all of the eating have been cleaned up) I tend to start reflecting on the year.
As I nuke another round of leftovers I look back on what was achieved in the past year… what losses left a mark on my heart… or what unexpected blessings came my way… and all of this eventually leads to looking forward instead of looking back.
In misery, I find that many of my NEW goals sound an awful lot like last years OLD goals. You know, the things I committed to in January of 2010 and proudly told myself that “this year will be different, because I’m actually going to accomplish them!” Things like:
- getting in better shape
- eating right
- reading the good stuff
- encouraging more
- yelling less
Then I realized how faithless I am towards myself and how utterly faithful God is to me. While I give up on myself in just a matter of weeks, God never gives up on me. And while God’s mercies are new every morning, mine are not.
I’m all for showing myself mercy… for a while.
You see, I’ll start strong and work hard but then allow my commitment to change to fizzle off. When that happens, I begin to berate myself for once again, not achieving my goal and I lay a huge guilt trip on myself. After all, it’s what I think I deserve!
But then God reminds me gently:
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)
So my goal this year is this. To remember and rely on God’s mercy which is not exhausted or limited.
I wonder what would I accomplish differently this year if I changed my focus from my failure to God’s mercy? Would I try again? Would I keep going? Would I learn that any change in me must come through Him?
Instead of just having a NEW year, I am going to rely on His promise of NEW MERCY…. everyday.
Maybe next year at this time I will have a different story to tell….
©2011 careyscotttalks.com and ©2011 Cheryl Meakins
