Recommit

“I wonder where I put those New Year’s resolutions.”

Half the year is over; it’s time to take stock of what I have or haven’t accomplished. At first thought, I’ve done nothing to reach my goals, but that’s not true. They may be itsy-bitsy steps, but most of have been forward toward the goals.

BODY – Of course, I haven’t lost the weight, exercised enough, or lowered my cholesterol, as I wanted; but I did complete the Ultimate 21-day Daniel Fast. I’ve also walked or swam many days.

SOUL – No, I haven’t written as much as I would desire or kept my website managed as I would like; but I did attend the Called to Write conference, have been active in my critique group, and submitted several devotional pieces to three different publishers.

SPIRIT – I haven’t successfully memorized Psalm 37 nor have I faithfully met with the Lord each morning as intended; but I have completed an in-depth study of Psalm 37, stayed active with our weekly Bible study group, and meet daily with the Lord despite being later in the morning than scheduled.

At the beginning of the year, I posted a devotional on my website about pursuing a “Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise” lifestyle. I shared points of discipline, determination, and dedication to goal setting. (I’ll repost to this blog next week.)

Unfortunately, we too often run into our old friends of doubt, discouragement, and distractions on the way to our goals. They kick us; we fight back. They knock us down; we get up. They confuse us; we lose focus. After a while, worn out from the battles, we forget where we were going. We give up.

If you’ve lost your way, take some time to

· Reexamine those New Year’s resolutions

· Reconsider their benefits

· Reacquaint yourself with discipline, determination, and dedication

· Recommit.

If you’re one of the few who have stayed the course of your resolutions, I applaud you. Congratulations. Keep up the good work. Pray for the rest of us.

“…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…press on...” Philippians 3:13, 14 nasb