With wide open eyes, letting the raw realities of life sink in, which often leads to despair, as the world has a lot of evil and sadness in it.
With blurry rose lens, letting superficial illusions distract the mind, which often leads to unrealistic and wishful thinking.
With needle focused lens, targeting only the good in every situation, which often leads to downfalls when presented with situations that don't display any positive side to it.
Welcome to 2017! Are you encouraged yet?!
What if there was another way to face life, with wide open eyes, synched focus and realistic lens, but without the pitfalls of despair?
My 2017 New Year Resolution is to seek a better way of facing life, by changing my thoughts.
They say we are our thoughts. Thoughts create neural pathways, which are reinforced every time we have similar thoughts. No wonder, sadness leads to sadness, and it is hard to climb out of downward emotional spirals.
I believe the alternative lays beyond adding positive thinking to our days. What if we could have the thoughts we were created to have?
The creator says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.... For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than yours." What if we could have higher thoughts, higher than the earth?
There is a way. When I make God's thoughts my thoughts I will have higher thoughts, thoughts I was created to have. I will have thoughts within an eternal perspective, beyond my personal wisdom.
Therefore, my 2017 New Year Resolution is to think:
- as I wake up: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
- as I wonder the purpose of events: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
- as I face the unknown: "The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."
- as I get tired of my daily work: "Let us not grown weary of doing good... As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone..."
- as I fear the future: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
And many more.
This year I want to remind myself every day:
- face life with wide open eyes, aware of good and evil,
- don't let superficial illusions distract my eyes,
- know that the war between good and evil has already been won,
- the enemy is big, God is bigger,
- for such a day as this one, I was created,
- go and fulfill the great commission,
- seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
- fix my eyes on Jesus,
- keep my perspective, eternal.
And anything else that I can not understand the reason, purpose or existence in my life, I trust that it is because at this moment I only see in a dimly mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I have been fully known!
