By Susan Alexander Yates
I’ve felt this way many times. But I’ve also learned to
reassess the way I’ve been living—and the way I want to live.
Here are five things to do any time of the year:
1. To reach someone who doesn’t know Christ
Perhaps like me, you’re tempted to spend all your time with
fellow Christians—people just like you. Yet at the same time,
God commands us to be salt and light in the world (Matthew
5:13–16); that won’t happen if we spend all our time with
believers.
For example, my friend Sandy took an active interest in a
neighbor named Carol. Sandy invited Carol over for lunch
and took her to a craft show. Although Carol and her husband
didn’t have children, Sandy included her in things she did
with her kids. Carol and her husband weren’t believers
and didn’t attend church, but out of curiosity, they soon
began attending with their new friends. After a period of
time, both Carol and her husband became believers. It all
began because Sandy was intent on reaching out in genuine
friendship to non-believers.
This year, resolve to befriend someone who’s not a
Christian. She may be a coworker, neighbor, your child’s
teacher, even your hair stylist. While reaching out feels
scary, when you take the risk, you’ll see God work through
you in exciting ways!
2. To become a grateful person
I used to wake up in the morning thinking about all the
things I had to do and all the people who needed me. I got
depressed before I even got out of bed! I realized I needed an
attitude adjustment. So I started meditating on one of God’s
character traits the moment I awoke. As I lay quietly in my
bed, thinking about how awesome God is, my perspective on
the day changed dramatically!
No one enjoys being around whining kids. But when
they’re grateful, it’s delightful. In the same way, when we
appreciate God, it thrills his heart. My friend Elaine says,
“The practice of thanksgiving is the discipline that helps
us experience God’s love.” Your disposition permeates the
atmosphere of your home. Do you want to raise positive
kids? Then resolve to become a woman of gratitude. You’ll
have a positive impact on generations to come.
3. To spend more quality time with my spouse
My husband, John, and I used to have a wonderful raspberry
patch. In the early years I carefully tended it, and it
produced prolific crops. Then I got busy with carpools and
commitments, and before I knew it, weeds took over and my
raspberries died out.
A marriage can become like my raspberry patch. We get
busy with kids, career, church, elderly parents, and
volunteer needs. We think, I’ll spend time on my
marriage when life calms down. The problem is, life never does.
Don’t let the weeds of “other important things”—even your
children—choke your marriage. Resolve to nurture it. This
year, ask the question, What can I do to help my husband and
I grow closer together? Begin by making a commitment to a
weekly date together—an evening, a breakfast, an afternoon.
Keep in mind, your children’s sense of security is built on
the knowledge you love them, but it greatly increases when
they know you love their dad. You’re raising future husbands
and wives who need to know a happy marriage takes time.
If they see you nurturing yours, they’ll learn a tremendous
lesson.
4. To say “no” to something!
Okay, we all know there are simply too many demands, too
many choices, and too little time. But part of maturing means
learning to postpone something you’d really like to do now
to another season of life in order to focus on something even
more important. Maybe it’s that career opportunity so you
can have more time with your children, or that outing with
your friends so you’re around when your teens have their
friends at your house. Maybe you need to say “no” to your
kids being in yet another sports team so your family can
have dinner together.
Ask yourself, in 10 years, what will matter most—that you
signed your child up for yet another activity and spent
evenings apart, or said “no” and had family dinners together?
Or that you participated in yet another committee, or said
“no” so you could spend more time with your husband?
5. To pursue Christ with fresh vigor
Do you sometimes feel as though your relationship with
Christ is stale? I sure do. But when that happens, I pray
King David’s prayer, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12).
Resolve to recapture that joy. Vary what you normally do for
your time alone with God. Decide on a new topic for Bible
study. Begin a fresh journal.
If you make some changes but still feel stale, ask God to show
you the reason. Is there sin in your life you’re ignoring? A
wrong relationship, self-pity, jealousy? The writer to the
Hebrews encourages us to “throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes
on Jesus” (12:1–2). That’s one resolution you can’t afford to
break!
Prepare
Which of the five goals jumped out at you? Why?
What are some other personal, spiritual, or relational
goals that have been on your mind lately? Please answer in the
comment section below or discuss with your MAP partner.
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