Resolutions and Revelations

When you hear the word New Year’s Eve does it evoke hope, new beginnings? It sure does for me. The opportunity to start again.  Check the vision board, see what I accomplished the year before, wipe it clean and start over.

Resolutions and revelations

How will I plan this year differently to meet my goals and what are my dreams?  I grab my new pack of dry erase markers, pop the lid, take a whiff of the smell of “fresh starts” and begin to write, listing my goals and dreams punctuated by cute hearts and smiley faces. I run into the new year cutting out pictures from magazines, diagramming and planning, as if I have control over my life.

Then reality hits.  

That weight I wanted to lose, well, it increased after walking through a difficult season of loss.

That book I was going to write, well, it still lays around the house in the form of hand scratched notes on random pieces of paper.

That extra time and intention I was going to put into my friend relationships, well, that promotion I yearned for stole it away.

That “me time” I intended to take for myself, well, it was consumed by anxiety and worry about things I couldn’t control.

Those vacation goals I planned because I felt I deserved a vacation since I worked so hard, well, they were crushed by job loss.

That goal to stay healthy and remain insulated from loss or death, well, it was interrupted by child loss, loss of a parent, a spouse, a friend?

And there I was standing with my vision board as tears rolled down my face. There I stood wondering where I went wrong.  

Thinking “what if?”

What if my vision board goals had started out with my vision on the cross instead of myself and material goals?

What if that weight I wanted to lose was motivated by the desire to present my body as a holy temple before the Lord?

What if that book I wanted to write was first driven by the motivation to dig into Your book of life every day?

What if the time and intention I wanted to put into relationships I cherished was more important than the self importance I gained from the hours I allowed that promotion to steal from me.  

What if that “me time” I was going to take for myself looked more like “them time”.  Would their needs have overshadowed the things I was anxious about and could not control?

What if those vacation goals where looked at more as a product of a blessing rather than something I deserved because I worked so hard?

What if that job loss or sickness was seen as God’s was of moving my feet into something greater he has for me?

What if that loss of health, child, spouse, parent friend was realigning what was important in life and what wasn’t?  What if it was actually teaching me how big my God is and how Holy his sovereignty is?

Would my perspective change?  Would my anxiety lessen?  Would the things I leave behind look more like Jesus or idols?

Friend, I don’t know what your vision board looks like for 2022, but I want to encourage you to take another look and ask yourself…

If my main goal is to run my race to the cross and eternity would my vision board look different?

Much love,

Chrissy