I am not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I have made many over the years and have never kept one. I have said I am going to lose weight. Gained it. I am going to stop drinking soda. Ordered a coke. I am going to watch less TV. Found “The Good Place” on Netflix. I am going to read more. But I just found “Schitt’s Creek” on Netflix to watch now that I finished “The Good Place”! I am going to…(fill in the blank).
Have you done something similar? In fact, this year, I am doing it again. I want to wake up early, during the week, and exercise. Today, I am one-for-one. I got up at 6am, ran three miles and did some push-ups, sit-ups, squats and a plank afterwards. If felt good and I liked it and I hope to do it again tomorrow.
But I know at some point, I will most likely fail. There will be a morning in which I don’t feel well, it will be too cold (or too hot, or too something!) and I will stay in bed and not get up. It is just inevitable. My past experience has taught me that. I know, I could be better and focus more and say to myself, “Other people do this, so can I!” But I would rather approach it a different way.
There is a trend going on in which instead of making a resolution people choose a word as a theme for the year. They look for a guiding principle that will lead them each day which they can focus on and helps to direct them. I have seen words like “Focus,” “Compassion,” “Cultivate” or “Purpose.”
I like this idea. Too often, we set ourselves up with unrealistic expectations in which failure is inevitable and then we look at ourselves through that lens. Failure. We become disappointed or disapprove of ourselves and continually think we lack something or wonder what is wrong with us. Do we really need another reason to feel bad about ourselves? Most of us are pretty good at that already.
So, I am going to jump on the bandwagon and suggest you do the same. What is a word or theme that can direct or guide you this year? What is something that will encourage and inspire you to be better and pick you up when you falter as opposed to causing you to falter?
For me, the word that I am picking for this year is, “Try.” I want to try things. I want to experiment. I want to explore. I want to be curious. I want to be adventurous. I want to “try” new things. Not be afraid of what the outcome may or may not be, but rather to take the first step and see where it leads.
I think our faith encourages us to try. To step into the unknown. To risk without the assurance of a guaranteed outcome. Remember, who we are is not based in our successes and failures. Our value and worth is already set. We get to use that value and worth to try and live a life of value and worth.
I am going to “try” to live into this word for this new year.
What are you going to choose?
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Tim