Hope for the Future [Guest Blog Post by Kimberly Mayhew O'Brien]

Here we are at the beginning of a New Year… AGAIN. This happens every year and every year we have our “resolutions” (ever notice how many of the resolutions are the same as in previous years?). So I got to thinking about what the most common resolutions are. I decided to look it up and here is what I found:

Top 10 Resolutions

• Lose Weight and Get Fit
• Quit Smoking
• Learn Something New
• Eat Healthier and Diet
• Get Out of Debt and Save Money
• Spend More Time with Family
• Travel to New Places
• Be Less Stressed
• Volunteer
• Drink Less

I also came across the Top 10 List of Broken Resolutions and guess what I found… it was basically the same list! So if we have the same resolutions every year and they are broken every year, should we just not even bother with them? Absolutely not!

Just because something has always been a certain way and is that way for so many people, doesn’t mean it has to be that way. We are blessed to be reminded each year of new beginnings and that there is hope for the future. In fact, each day is a new beginning and it is ours for the taking.

It is good to reflect on where you’ve been and where you’d like to go. It is good to have goals and move towards those goals. It is good to want to be the best you that you can be. It is good to see progress and it motivates us to keep going.

On the other hand, we need to look at why those goals are important to us. For example the number one resolution is losing weight. While I agree that it is something we need to think about for our health and the health of our nation, many of us are motivated to lose weight so that we can “look” better. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look nice. If however, our outward appearance is more important to us than our inward self, our heart, and our relationships, then perhaps we’ll want to take some time to consider that. After all, if we think about the people we like best; it has nothing to do with how they look and has everything to do with who they are which stems from their heart.

Is your focus on outward appearance or inward beauty? How can you look forward in hope? How can you increase your love for others? Resolve to reflect on these and it could just be the best resolution you’ve ever made.

RESOLUTION: A firm decision to do or not to do something.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.