Every year I make a new year's resolution, and every year, I break it. Most every past year, I vowed not to worry so much. Then, I immediately broke my promise to myself, and backslid right back to a place of old and worn habit. This year, I have a different perspective. There is no question, I'm the kind of person that is prone to worry, not necessarily for myself, but even more for friends and loved ones who are having trouble. Once reborn, I understood that I could give these worries to the Lord, because He is there for us. He cares! I can alleviate a lot of the worry and stress when I choose to lean upon Him. It is very simple, my own problems and those of my loved ones will alleviate, once I choose to get to know Him! Once I learn without any doubt whatsoever that I can depend upon Him! This year, I resolve to lean on him in times of trouble. I intend to practice until it is deeply understood that He is at the helm. There is no need for anything other than joy at that notion!
As if to affirm my new year's resolution, two articles came to me via email. The first was the following study from Bible Study Tools.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:7-11
"Paul is not talking about any virtue found in himself—he is actually setting aside all of his credentials and saying they are worth nothing. They are worthless. But his resolution is, “I want to know Christ more and better.” What is remarkable is that he has known Christ for thirty years, yet he is resolved to know Him better."
"That is my New Year’s resolution this year. I’ve known Christ for about forty years now, but my desire is to get to know Him better."
"...we can get to know Christ by spending time in His Word, going to Him in prayer, meditating upon Him, and asking Him for help. I resolve that I want to know the Lord by being in His Word every day—not just reading the words of Scripture, but meditating upon them, personalizing them, and making them part of my life."
"It’s one hundred percent Him, zero percent us, and all to His glory."
Philippians 3: The Best New Year's Resolution, from Bible Study Tools
The second message came from Alistair Begg. Entitled Say Good Bye to Anxiety this absolutely addresses my most important resolution this year. I always enjoy Alistair's poetic prose, and in this case, it was as if he was writing just for me, though I know his messages are addressed to all.
Peter asks us to humble ourselves before God by
casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
"It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we can feel, "He cares for me." Christian, do not dishonor religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight that your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden would be to Him but as the small dust of the balance. Nothing is so sweet as to
"Lie passive in God's hands,
And know no will but His."
"O child of suffering, be patient; God has not passed you over in His providence. He who is the feeder of sparrows will also furnish you with what you need. Do not sit in despair; hope on, hope ever."
"He has never refused to bear your burdens; He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! Say good-bye to anxiety and leave all your concerns in the hand of a gracious God."
Say Goodbye to Anxiety, by Alistair Begg
Peter asks us to humble ourselves before God by
casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
"It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we can feel, "He cares for me." Christian, do not dishonor religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight that your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden would be to Him but as the small dust of the balance. Nothing is so sweet as to
"Lie passive in God's hands,
And know no will but His."
"O child of suffering, be patient; God has not passed you over in His providence. He who is the feeder of sparrows will also furnish you with what you need. Do not sit in despair; hope on, hope ever."
"He has never refused to bear your burdens; He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! Say good-bye to anxiety and leave all your concerns in the hand of a gracious God."
Say Goodbye to Anxiety, by Alistair Begg
