With the new year coming up, many of us are thinking of the next resolution we will seek to keep. It usually involved adding things to our lives, such as working out, eating better, seeing friends and family more, and faithful church attendacne.
All of these are good things, but they usually don’t last. A quick Google search says that researchers suggest that only 9% of resolutions are kept all year, while 43% of people have quit before the end of January.
This year, instead of adding things to your life, what can you take away?
Maybe it’s taking away negativity, bad influences, or alcohol. Scripture gives us things we are to lay aside or put off.
”Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;“ Colossians 3:5-9
God tells us to mortify, or kill, the things He is about to discuss. He wants us to put our earthly desires to death. There is a lot in these few verses. I would encourage you to grab your Bible and a dictionary for a word study.
”That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.“ Ephesians 4:22-23, 25
Put off the way you used to live. The “old man” is what we are before salvation. The way we spoke, thought, and lived should be different now for the child of God!
Lastly, ”Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.“ Hebrews 12:1-2
Some things aren’t sin, they’re hindrances or weights. Lay them aside. Don’t hold on to anything that keeps you from serving the Lord!
Spend some time asking the Lord what you need to do less of in 2024.
Stay in the Word, stay close to the Shepherd, and let Him lead you in path’s of righteousness.
With Hope in His Service,
Heather.
Proverbs_31Life 