I need to stop doing this

We did not make New Year’s resolutions this year. It isn’t that I don’t believe in them. In the past, the Nelson family has made lots of resolutions. One year, we all set an academic, spiritual, physical and personal/fun goal. We put the goals on a chart and pinned them on Pat’s office wall. I like goal setting. Being resolute has helped me lose weight, run marathons, pick up new hobbies and inspired my love of learning.

Although no new resolutions were made to kick off this year, Pat and I did have a poignant conversation with a couple of our teens this week. We were all sitting by the fire in the den, mulling over the year gone by and considering what the next year might hold. Pat asked the kids, who do you want to be and what do you need to do to be that person?

The teenagers had different ideas and obviously needed more time to thoughtfully consider the question, but one of them responded to the question by answering with a list of don’ts.

I need to STOP doing this

I need to AVOID this person

I DON’T need to engage in this activity.

QUIT! STOP! DON’T! ABSTAIN! GIVE UP!

This answer and the thought process behind it broke my heart, and then it convicted me. It broke my heart, because we were anticipating hearing vision and optimism. Our kids are still developing and forming dreams. They have great potential. The future is bright. I want them to recognize all the exciting possibilities that lie ahead and embrace their opportunities to contribute to the world. I want them to believe in exceeding greatness and bright hope for tomorrow.

It convicted me, because I often find myself living in the same restrictive mindset of the “Don’ts”. It is not uncommon for me to spend the vast majority of my prayer time in confession. I wish I could say that my verbal purge of sin lists is a part of my prayers because it focuses me on God’s amazing grace, but that would be a lie…. and yet another sin I would need to confess. It is so wonderful to recognize the awesomeness of God’s grace and it is blatantly exposed when juxtaposed next to our sinfulness, but I’m pretty sure that I stay stuck in confession because I am stuck on me.

I need to STOP doing this

I need to AVOID this person

I DON’T need to engage in this activity.

QUIT! STOP! DON’T! ABSTAIN! GIVE UP!

 

When we are focused on our negative self, even in a resolute determination, we miss the point. When all we see are the Don’ts, there isn’t a view of the Do’s. You and I were created to glorify God and ENJOY Him forever. Our time here can hurt like hell, but the greatest gift you and I ever received was literally Hell for Jesus. He paid the price for all of the things we didn’t avoid or shouldn’t have done. Because he did, we have the resolute goal of living to be like Him. We have great potential. Our future is bright. We have opportunities every day to contribute to this world for His glory. We can rejoice as we embrace the HOPE of His calling.

He paid for our sins one time and it was finished. He knows what you have done wrong and what you will screw up today and all of your tomorrows. You must confess it, but then you need to put it to bed. Jesus doesn’t dwell on it, so why would you? He is walking beside you encouraging you to know who you are. You are His child. You can DO anything through Him.

 

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places”Ephesians1:17-20 (NKJV)

 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:1-4 (NKJV)