How cliche is it that every January 1st everyone talks about new year, new you?! What does that even mean? For some, to lose weight; typically in a gym or in their credit cards. But why does this define a better you?
Is it not possible to be a great person and still have debts or a little extra around the waistline? Why are we defined by our physical or fiscal wellness? I lost 80 lbs one year and didn’t become any better a person than I was when I was pushing 300 lbs. I became proud, actually arrogant. I was full of myself. I wore swimwear as a joke that I never should have been wearing. I was obsessed with how I looked in selfies and photos, especially in the right light or the right filter.
So when I let go of this pride that I was abusing and allowed my focus to be less selfie-ish, I found a more fulfilling place in my heart that I enjoyed being in. When we develop ourselves spiritually, it has a much stronger hold than developing ourselves physically or monetarily. Money is a great thing if used correctly, but it doesn’t define who you are. Spoiler alert: Your bank account and body do not follow you to Heaven.
One of the first Sundays this year, our pastor delivered a message that began with reflecting on the last 2 years in this state of emergency mindset. Everybody just wants to get back to normal. What did normal look like for you? Greedy? Proud? Glutton? Arrogant? Broke? So why, 2 years later, would we still be talking about getting back to normal? Our pastor’s message was to get back to better.
This year I am not recording a cheesy New Year’s resolution. It’s not worth it to me. I would rather focus on looking back at the last two years, strengths and weaknesses, and take all the lessons learned and just grow myself. I’ve been blessed with a particular opportunity to grow myself professionally. It didn’t come gracefully, but it came in the way He wanted me to receive it. What would it take to help you roadmap your own past and future and come back better than you’ve ever been before? Your past choices do not dictate your future.
What if rather than quantifying yourself by weight or debt, you measure yourself by the spiritual change you can create in yourself and others. Impossible? You’re right. You cannot make a spiritual change on your own. Could this year be the year that you finally humble yourself and accept that sin is inside you and everybody else? Could this year be the year that you find your church to guide you on your own spiritual transformation? I would encourage you to try. The physical and fiscal goals are fine, but I think you might find that achieving your spiritual goals is much more fulfilling. Let me help you. If you would like help finding spiritual guidance, message me. I’d be happy to share my story of finding my own way. Being a Christian doesn’t make me perfect, but it does give me a perfect example to follow. And it helps me accept that no matter how hard I try to achieve that level of perfection, I will always fall short. After all, I’m only human. God bless you this year and always.
Christopher Turnbull 