My Non-Resolution

Many good things are accomplished as a result of New Year’s resolutions. Over the past several days I’ve read the resolutions of many of my friends, and I admire them for thoughtfully constructing their resolutions and then setting to work carrying them out. I’m even more impressed by those who successfully keep them throughout the year.

My hesitancy to make my own New Year’s resolutions comes from knowing that I’ve rarely seen one through the end of January. It’s my own fault, of course; nevertheless, that’s one reason for avoidance.

I’m also a bit of a rebel when it comes to time. Don’t get me wrong…time is a good thing; it gives order and direction to our days. But I refuse to give the clock or the calendar more power than necessary. If I’m forced into a commitment simply because January first pops up on the calendar, chances are it will be self-imposed, its execution dependent on self-effort, and its results destined for failure. This much I’ve learned about myself.

Still, as I’ve read others’ resolutions it has caused me to pause and reflect. How did I arrive at this place in my life? Where am I going from here?

A friend, Laura Lee Shaw, challenged me through an article she recently posted to ask the Lord for a verse for the coming year instead of making another resolution I won’t fulfill. It didn’t take me long to settle on this one:

Psalm 27:14 (NIV) “Wait for the lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

You see, a few years ago (in September, not January) God put it on my heart to begin writing. I have been writing regularly ever since. Writing has brought so many blessings into my own life, and I’ve had the privilege of sharing my writing with others, too. Then God put it on my heart to cut back on my teaching responsibilities. That was a harder thing to do because I love teaching, but I knew I needed to obey. Finally, this past year, the perfect opportunity arose, and I cut back to part-time in August.

So many have asked, “What are you doing with your extra time?” Well, I’m writing more and taking better care of myself and my family, but mostly I’m waiting for God’s direction. That’s a hard thing to do sometimes.

One good friend recently finished her master’s degree. Several of my friends are putting the finishing touches on books they are writing. I would love to tell you that I’m embarking on or completing a spectacular project, but I’m not. God hasn’t put anything like that on my heart. And so I’m waiting…waiting to hear what He wants from me next.

I have been reading Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost For His Highest (I began in August, not January). On January 4th I was delighted to read, “There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait.”

This gift of extra time in my life is much too precious to waste by filling it up with new commitments and projects, especially without clear direction from the God who brought me to this place. And so in 2009 I will take heart, stay strong, and wait.

Please take a moment to tell me your thoughts about the new year or share a verse that God is using to speak to you.

(You can read Laura's post on Laura Lee's Lifesong by clicking on the title to this post.)