It is that time of year again where we are supposed to make our New Year’s Resolution. According to Wikipedia, a New Year’s Resolution (NYR) is where a person resolves to continue good practices, change an undesired trait or behavior, accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve their behavior at the beginning of a calendar year. I have a question for you – do you know anyone who ever successfully followed through on a chosen NYR and made a change in their life for their betterment? I didn’t think so!
So today, I would like to propose a NYR that I think should be possible to follow for the rest of one’s life. It can be simply stated as – seek contentment with who you are and what you have!
There is no doubt that the past few years have added a few more gray hairs to all of us beginning with COVID, inflation, wars throughout our world, and managing our southern border. Yet, as I look back across these last 4-5 years, I also realize that none of these external experiences have negatively impacted my opportunities to live my life as I have chosen. I have been able to continue seeing my children and grandchildren regularly during these years and the opportunity to watch our four grandchildren grow up is just the most wonderful way to spend time at this stage of life. I have continued to attend church regularly when we are at home in Gainesville and our daughter’s church when we are in DC. I realize others may not have all these opportunities anymore due to health or financial constraints or other reasons, but it is still important to remember that we are blessed in the life we have had, and that we still have through our family, friendships, and church life. I offer the following scripture to you for which these verses are labeled in my online Bible The Cure for Anxiety.
Matthew 6:25-33 – “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? 27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
A very dear friend of mine, also a member of Covenant Church, told me a few days ago that she was in a “happy rut”. She told me that she meant that she is happy in her life, and that she is content with her circumstances. There is so much going on around us that we cannot control, but we don’t have to let those surroundings define our happiness. I would say I am also in a “happy rut” because Cindy and I still can do some things we have always done, which is now primarily sharing life with our Gainesville family and then visiting our DC and PA family whenever we can. I would say that Cindy and I are content with this lifestyle and don’t regret the things that we cannot now do anymore. The key is to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
In conclusion, I would share the following scripture.
Hebrews 13:5 – Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,”
We are promised that God will never leave our side if we seek Him and are content in His care, so follow this scripture and Cure Your Anxiety! Happy New Year to all!!!!!