Cheers to the New Year. Resolutions are framed in our minds, filled with goals that we think will result in the "perfect" life we've all been waiting for. And sometimes, our intentions are good... we really do want to change. But you know what they say, old habits die hard and it's much easier to stay stagnant. You lose all hope there might have been left and come to terms with the fact that some things never change. And low and behold, before you know it, the year's almost done and it's filled with the same mistakes you've made all your life and you feel like you're running on a treadmill and you just want to quit. So what really is all this fuss about? Is New Years just about party hats and New Years kisses and going out on the town?
I sure hope it's not. I like to believe that it's a reminder of the clean slate we have in Christ. And while we have the opportunity to change whenever we want, New Years is just one holiday a year that reminds us to set goals and strive for good change. Yeah, the attempts aren't always successful, but there's one important factor into that and it's persistence. Change isn't easy. Think back to any memory you may have of the biggest change in your life. Maybe your parents split up. Maybe you moved out for college. Whatever it was, I am certain that there were days when all you wished for was the comfort of the way things used to be.
And when you try to make change happen yourself, it is definitely not easy. But it takes persistence. Dedication. You have to be driven to want change. It does not happen overnight. For example, I'm about to share a really bad metaphor so bear with me. I've been teaching myself to play the guitar, and at first it was kicking my butt. It took me literally ten minutes to individually place my fingers on each string to change chords. No matter how hard I tried, my fingers did not know where to go... but every day I sat down for at least an hour, placing my fingers where they belonged, strumming, trying to work on transitions, and despite the countless (and I mean countless) failed attempts, before I knew it, my fingers had worked up the strength to transition much quicker... and now I don't even have to look in order to guide them. You see, there were days when the chords I played sounded miserable, when my fingers kept hitting the wrong strings and I literally got so frustrated I would toss the pick across the room and walk out. There were days when my fingers were so sore and I didn't want to play and I wondered if it would be worth it. But I kept going. I practiced consistently and the feeling of accomplishment is so rewarding.
I know it seems silly to compare learning guitar to life, but hear me out. If you want to work on your prayer life, you are going to have to start praying everywhere, whether it be quickly while walking to class or for a long time before you go to sleep. Sure, there will be days when you forget or when you get frustrated about it... but by all means, don't stop there. These goals and resolutions we make each year, they're not easy. They take effort and patience, but I promise you, each step of the way is worth it and eventually, you will look back and realize how each failed attempt made you that much stronger. So press on towards your goal, brace yourself for failures, but hope for growth and change.
Don't be afraid of change... it shapes us into who we are and it is necessary for growth. Put yourself outside your comfort zone this year, don't be afraid to take risks. Don't expect to never fail, expect to learn something new each time you do. Happy New Year! It is a new one just like we are made new.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
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