Finishing Well

Happy 2011! I know I'm a little behind, but I've been mulling this over for awhile now. The New Year always brings about thoughts of commitments, plans and resolutions? Do you make any? Do you keep them?

I used to make resolutions…at least in my mind I did. Very seldom did I keep them though. You know the ones, like lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, stop yelling, read more, pray often, etc, etc, etc. Somehow I always manage to lose steam with my well intentioned plans for a new year. (Thus my mulling and pondering over the last few days.) How will the year 2011 be different? It's not that I don't want to succeed, but I think my approach has been flawed.

Recently I heard Dennis Miller, the comedian, say, "My resolutions are to get fat and smoke, because I know I can do that." That's funny, but his logic rings true to me. Most all of the resolutions I've made have been things that I could do, at least that's what I thought. The truth is that I've not kept them because I've not been able to exercise control. This year I want it to be different. I want to finish well.

As I've prayed over the New Year this past week, God kept bringing this verse to my mind. Proverbs 15:22 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." The flaw for me in failing to keep my resolutions has been in not having accountability, not having wise counselors to encourage me. As the verse says, it takes many advisers. This year instead of making my mental list and keeping it to myself, I'm sharing it with my family and prayer team. The key is that these people love God, love me and get where I am. They're not afraid to be honest with me.

If you struggle with keeping your resolutions and finishing well, then find someone to keep you accountable. Ask God to give you someone who loves Him and you unconditionally. Then wait and see who He brings. I met some of my closest companions on the phone, on a ball field and standing in line at a restaurant. You'll be amazed at what happens when you commit your plans to God.