Blog 39—The Change Series (Part 2) —Forget New Year's Resolutions … There is a better way!

The month of June seems to be a silly time of year to look at New Year’s Resolutions … But is it?

The start of June seems to be a good time to stop for a moment and evaluate. To look back and assess how the past five months have progressed.

How has your year been so far? How has your year progressed? Are you on target to meet your New Years’ Resolutions?

If you are, congratulations. You must be one of those rare people with iron discipline and a photographic memory.

Unfortunately, I’m not one of those gifted people.

I gave up on creating New Year’s Resolutions.

They never worked beyond the first couple of weeks.

In fact, the only thing that New Year’s Resolutions ever did for me was months of regret and feelings of failure.

Perhaps you can relate to what I’m saying.

One Word to Guide me Through The Year —Photo by Jelleke Van Ooteghrm on Unsplash

From my understanding of Scripture, God has called us to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:31—39). We are called His Children (John 1:12, Romans 8, Galatians 3:26 & 1 John 3:1), so there has to be a better way than trusting to New Year’s Resolutions.

After all secular research shows that on average 39% of people in their twenties fail to achieve their resolutions each year. Supposedly that % increases with age! —Why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work

Surely there had to be a better way … There is!

One Word --A revolutionary concept

It began almost 5 years ago, around about October 2013. The idea of using One Word to guide my goal setting for the following year.

That gave me two months to give the concept or principle some serious consideration before committing to the process … if it worked.

I’d come across a podcast, Casting the Vision with Dan Britton and Jimmy Pate

A change in Perspective

Now before we go any further, I’ll provide you with a little bit of background. I’ve been a follower—a disciple of Jesus all my life, oops, perhaps I should say, as long as I can remember, so the principles that I listened to were not new, but my perspective changed as I listened.

What they said came alive—It began to make sense.

Would God give me one word that I could use as a focal point when it came to decision-making.

A little voice inside of my head whispered, ‘You’re wasting your time. It may work for them but it’s not for you.’

Perhaps you’ve heard that same little voice too.

But … then I heard a different little voice whispering, ‘but what if it does work?’ Was it was possible that God had ‘One Word that would change my life’.

First tentative steps

I chose to move forward in faith. I could trial what I’d heard, until the end of the year. If it worked, I would put it into practice for the following year. There was nothing to lose. The more I listened, the more I recognised the sting of truth in the words.
This step required money. Not much, thank goodness. This was not going to cost and a leg. I needed to purchase the book. There was the option of a KINDLE version or audio. I chose Audio. I could listen to it in the car and make best use of my ‘drive time’ At less that $9 Australian and only 50 minutes of listening this became more doable.
I followed through and put the principles into action.
I asked God for a word!
I shut up until God responded
His response—LAUNCH

Launch would be the pivotal point around which I made decisions that impacted all six dimensions of my life during 2014:

mental,
physical,
emotional,
relational,
spiritual,
financial.

I admit to falling short on numerous occasions, but remembering ‘My One Word—LAUNCH’, helped provide me with the motivation and impetus to pick myself up and start over.

2014 proved to be one of my most successful years ever.

In October 2014 I began the process again. I prayed and repeated the process: listened to the audio book, prayed and meditated. My word for:

2015—GROW

2016—RESILIENCE. This seemed to be a portent of difficult times ahead. 2016 was indeed a difficult year. Resilience was not a word I would have willingly chosen, but I believe that this was God’s way of saying, hang in there, Rod, I’m there with you—and He was!

Tweet this: ‘Resilience was not a word I would have willingly chosen ... I believe it was God’s way of saying, hang in there ... I’m there with you’—https://bit.ly/2kzQdkQ

2017—COOPERATE

2018 – INTENTIONAL. It sounds great, but there have been ups and downs over the past five months. It hasn’t been easy, but God has been faithful.

As we begin the second half of the year It’s time to stop and evaluate. I’m not where I would have hoped to be, but I have made a choice to remain INTENTIONAL in all areas of my life.

I’m not saying that I’m an expert, and this method of goal setting is for everyone, but it works for me, and it may for you.

Start-over today

The beauty of this system is that I/you don’t have to wait until the new year. You can start today.

The system can be used for families too. Imagine the impact on your family when God provided each member and the family unit with ‘One Word’ for the year.

If you’ve given up on New Year’s Resolutions, I’d recommend stilling your soul and ask God what His word is for you, for the rest of 2018.

This week’s challenge:

Listen to the podcast.
Purchase the book (Audio/Kindle/hard copy).
Listen or read the book, several times as necessary. It’s an easy listen/read.
Follow each step, in sequence, and EXPECT God to answer.

Quote of the Week--CHANGE

‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.’—Deuteronomy 31:6

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