by David Sellnow
We’re a week into the new year … by this point 25% of new
year’s resolutions have already been broken (according to research by the University of Scranton). We try to improve
ourselves, change ourselves, fix ourselves … and more often than not come up
short of our goals.
I’ve worked as a pastor in congregations and have heard
defeatism among members, feeling the challenges faced by the church were bigger
than they could bear. “We can’t do
it. We don’t have enough strength.”
I now work in ministry with college students and often hear
them express frustration and feelings of low self-worth. They so much want to impress people by their
talents and intelligence … and at the same time feel they aren’t able to
perform well enough, aren’t able to think as well as they think they should.
I’ve sat in counseling sessions with people facing various
dilemmas – finances, illnesses, woes within marriage, bad habits by which they keep
hurting themselves. And generally in the
midst of those conversations, their inner feelings would come out, saying, “I
don’t know why I’m talking to you about this; it’s hopeless anyway.”
It’s hopeless anyway?
We’re not good enough? We can’t
do it? Jesus would say to us, “You of
little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26). The apostle
Paul would urge us to say with him, “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
It’s true we aren’t strong enough on our own to make
resolutions and keep them. It’s true
that we aren’t wise enough on our own to navigate a proper path through
life. It’s true that we aren’t stable
enough to keep ourselves on an even keel in the midst of life’s worries.
But we have the promises of Christ, and he does not let us
down. Indeed we can do all things through
Christ who strengthens us. “Those who
hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they
will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Whatever resolves you have in this new year, hang onto Jesus
in them and through them. Don’t despair
of your own abilities or dwell on your own weaknesses. Your value as a child of God does not rise
and fall according to how well you accomplish your tasks each day. Christ’s love is constantly surrounding you
and upholding you. And through him, the
days’ tasks become more accomplishable. “And God is able to bless you
abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you
will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
