The New Year is a time for making resolutions and vows for a
variety of things; from eating healthier or exercising to becoming a better
person or spending more time with family. Often those resolutions only last a
few weeks or months, partly because they lack conviction. Those are all great
things to do and strive for, but when sacrifice is required they begin to seem
a little less important. I think another part of the problem is motive. Most
resolutions have little, if any, grounding or personal pull. It’s just a nice
idea. But I want to make a challenge that should precede all others: Determine
to live for God.
This should be our motive for everything thought, word and
action. Our entire lives should be built around that one principle.
1 Corinthians 10:31 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Whether, then, you eat or drink
or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
This is our ultimate created purpose, the founding motive
and driving force behind all of us. Or at least it was meant to be. But along
the way we have become…sinful. Selfish. We have decided to follow our hearts
instead of our God. We have decided to serve self instead of God. We live to
please self instead of God. Even the good things we do, community service,
church service, generosity, are nothing if we do not do it out of love for God.
That is why so many addicts can’t stay quit, and why
religion based support groups are the most effective. God has to be behind it
all. He has to be the reason for it all. Otherwise it will all be in vain. It
will all be meaningless. It will all be empty.
So as you go about the beginning of a New Year, a time to
proverbially start over, think about this question. Let it be the basis of your
resolutions, and your life, from now on. How will you live for God?
God calls us back to that for which we were created, to worship the Lord God, to glorify Him, and enjoy Him forever.
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 10:31 says it all, whether therefore we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, it is to be to God's glory, all to His glory.
So~with the goals we tend to set every New Year, the focus needs to be out of a heart that flows in the direction of honoring God with our lives no matter what it is that we do.
"Thou art worthy O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."
Revelation 4:11
Doesn't get any simpler than that, does it?
Beautiful post, and I appreciated your choice of Scripture.
Blessings~
Thank you Debbie dear!
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