Start, Stop, Keep
I’m not one huge on new year resolutions, in fact I feel like I am trying to cut out sugar or exercise more throughout the entire year so when January comes around it doesn’t even feel any different. While many of us may have made a throw away resolution that we all to easily gave up on three days later I believe there is some method to the madness. The new year is a great time to reflect, look ahead and prioritise areas of our life, almost as a realignment. Many of us if we are honest would love some kind of change, whether that is our waistline, our emotional health, bank balance, marriage, family relations or our relationship with God. If we keep doing the same thing, we will get the same results. A change in pattern results in a change in practice. Change your pattern in exercise and you will change your health. Patterns are the small seemingly insignificant events and decisions that when compiled dictate the direction of our lives.
What I am going to suggest below can be confronting. Analysing our life and patterns can cause all sorts of emotions. These principles act almost as a dashboard, let me explain. When you are driving hopefully you are keeping your eyes on the road. However it is good to now and then glance at the dashboard to see the temperature of the car, the speed, the fuel gauge and so on. It is not wise to spend all your time focusing on the dashboard but it has its place. The same is for these principles, they are healthy tools to assist us in making change to our patterns.
Start
What can you start? Again you are going to get sick of this word, patterns. Not destination, but patterns. What you start you want to finish, if you do it once it isn’t a pattern. It needs to be achievable and realistic, no need to change the world in the day. A 15 minute walk, one less chocolate bar, read one chapter of the Bible, sit at the table together, whatever it is for you. Just make sure what you start you can finish.
Stop
What needs to stop? This may not be anything drastic, remember we are looking for patterns. Want better family time, stop the phones for a couple of hours? Want more money, stop some spending. Now let’s be real, stopping isn’t always easy. If it was easy to stop we would not have addictions. Surround yourself with people who can help, someone you can trust and who has been there. Plan! Turn that idea into a plan, want to spend less then make a budget, want to stop looking at certain sites then install a filter, want to stop eating it then stop buying it.
Keep
Finally, what can you keep on doing. Let’s get positive here, what has been good? What has worked? What has been healthy? It’s all good to make adjustments, start and stop, but I am sure you already have some beneficial patterns in your life. Make a plan to keep it up!
This has been incredibly practical. Now practical is great, but it often falls short. My faith is a huge part of my life. It isn’t a ritualistic religion but a relationship with my Father in heaven. God did not send Jesus to our world so we could follow rules but so we could walk with Him. When we place our faith in Jesus the Bible tells us we are a child of God. God is interested and involved in our lives. There is no detail too big or too small. If it matters to us it matters to God. That may sound ridiculous but it’s true. In these seemingly practical things such as healthy lifestyles, finance and family God wants to help you though. More than that empower and guide you through it. Whatever your life situation is ask God for help, read His word, spend time with people who can lead you in it and just watch what happens. God is with you and for you. I am believing with you for the best year yet!
Thank you for reading. Here at Light Church we will be posting something new each month. Covering a number of topics, written by a number of people.
Pastor Ben Braund