New Year's Resolutions
by Jerry Ousley

Perhaps you’ve been good at keeping these things, but I never have been. You begin with sincerity and really want to make improvements in your life. But it is so hard to develop new habits isn’t it? It takes discipline and I have to say that I admire someone who has the will power to get the job done and see it all the way through. It isn’t easy. My big resolution is to get more exercise and I usually start out keeping a tight schedule. But as days progress my schedule gets looser and looser until alas I’ve broken my resolution. Last year I almost made it three days.

There is one resolution I’d like to discuss briefly, however, and it is the one that involves improving our spiritual lives. We determine that we are going to start attending Church, or give up this or that to make us closer to God. Others may say that they are going to start treating people better, and the list goes on.

Improving our attitude or moral stance is, of course, a good thing. We all need to treat others better, or consider someone above ourselves. That is Scripture. But we will never succeed in getting closer to God just by doing these things.

You see, the morals we display or the way we treat others isn’t how we get closer to God but the results of getting closer to God. The way we get close to Him is by spending more time with Him. Most of us do that with our spouse before we get married. We go out to eat together, and sit and talk with one other. That’s how we find out more about the person we love and get close to the one we want as our mate.

The world would try to tell us that we need to see if we are compatible first suggesting that we move in with that person as sort of a trial run. But to really get to know the one we are going to spend the rest of our lives with we’ve got to spend time talking and communicating - Just moving in together borderlines “playing house.” The physical side of love comes later after marriage. Really, why commit physically if we aren’t willing to commit to the whole shebang?

It’s the same with getting close to God. We can go to Church (which is a good thing), we can treat others with great respect and consideration (that’s a good thing too), we can be full of morals and honest as the day is long (and that’s good also), but we can’t substitute these things as ways of getting to know God. They don’t take the place of what’s really going on in our hearts. They only make for a good surface appearance.

Many marriages that end in divorce come as a shock to people because the marriage seemed to be full of good works and the two may have been very moral individuals. However, something failed in their communication and they just weren’t friends any more. They had grown incompatible. What a tragedy.

Again, this is just like our relationship with God. Without time in prayer and reading His Word how can we ever get to know Him? Our interests will eventually turn to other things and away from Him. Before we know it we are committing Spiritual Adultery. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing” and John 5:39 says to search the Scriptures.

We can find that closer relationship with God this New Year, but it will take some work on our part. It will take dedication to Him and a commitment to Christ. If you’ve never given your life to Him do it today. Simply ask Him, believe Him, and then spend time with Him. If you seek, you will find (Matthew 7:7). Now that’s one New Year’s resolution worth keeping.

Jerry D. Ousley is the Author of five books, "Soul Challenge", "Soul Journey" "Ordeal" "The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional" and his first novel "The Shoe Tree." Listen to the daily broadcast Spirit Bread. Find out more by visiting www.spiritbread.com
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Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS