By Greg Ruble
We’ve made it, everyone! 2020 is behind us, and the new year is still young! For that reason, let me encourage you to make some resolutions.
Most resolutions are about making this life better, like healthier eating or more exercise, but I want you to make resolutions for your spiritual life with God. You can find three instructions in Romans 12:12 that work well.
The first one is resolve to rejoice in hope. When our hope is found in God and what He has promised, it makes rejoicing possible no matter what. No matter what the headlines are today, the doctor’s diagnosis, the balance in the bank, when your hope is in God you can rejoice because of who He is: strong, loving, powerful, faithful, all-knowing and in control.
When you’re counting on Him and clinging to His promises. like “I will never leave you” or “I will hear you when you call,” your hope gets renewed every morning, and that is cause to rejoice.
Second, resolve to be patient in tribulation. The secret to keeping this one is to remember God uses our troubles to shape our character. When in trouble, we turn to Him for help, we run to Him for protection, we talk to Him more, we trust in Him to get us through.
God is growing us through the trouble. Patience is us cooperating with His will for our lives. It’s saying, “Lord, have your way in me, even if it means I need to stay in this trouble.” When we believe God has a purpose in what’s going on and we surrender to that, patience will result.
Third, resolve to be constant in prayer. When we’re having a good day, it’s easy to believe God is with you and He for you and He is working. It’s hard to pray because you don’t feel the need for it.
When it’s a bad day, it’s hard to believe and easy to pray. When it’s dark, it’s hard to see where God is and what He is doing. Prayer is easy because we’re desperate for His presence and power to be revealed.
Keeping this resolution means we’ll be praying no matter what kind of day we’re having. On good days, it’s “Praise and thank you, God.” The Bible says all good gifts come down from God. There isn’t one good thing that you have or has happened to you that God did not send. Praise and thank Him for it.
On the bad days, the simple prayer, “Help me, God” or “Help her or help him” is easy to remember. The Bible says God is an ever-present help in times of trouble, a strong tower that we can run to and be safe. Prayer is how we do that.
2021 still has a lot of days left in it! Make these three resolutions and when 2022 is here, you’ll be able to look back no matter what happened and be glad you lived through it.
Greg Ruble is lead pastor of Living Streams Community Church in McCordsville. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
