Proverbs 3:5-6 — Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Two good friends (at least, I hope I can call them that!) have been discussing the issue of New Year’s resolutions on facebook.
Now I have a couple of problems with New Year’s resolutions. The first is the common one. I’m really no good at keeping artificial resolutions. If I don’t really want to do something, resolving that I will isn’t going to help.
The other issue is, I suppose, just me being awkward — but who says January 1st is the right time to shape up and get into shape (or start towards any of the other worthy objectives that resolutions usually focus on)? Why not July 2nd (my birthday) or Easter Monday, when the rising of Christ might provide a great start date for spiritual refreshment. On the other hand …
On the other hand I am so fortunate as to have vacation at this time of year, most years. So it is a quieter time of year, and it does offer a chance for reflection. So this year I’m not making resolutions — which I will fail to keep – but I am (with Myra’s help in some areas) setting some new directions. It’s occurred to me that I’m not doing a “complete” job, and that I might tell you what that means. Perhaps if you were to do a complete job you would think about your direction in the seven areas of faith, family, church, career, finances, service and leisure. For me some of those areas overlap, and I’m not thinking about all of them at the moment — partly because I think some are in good shape (or at least the Holy Spirit hasn’t been talking to me about them) and partly because there just doesn’t seem time to give all of them the attention they deserve.
So here are the areas that are on my mind at the moment.
First, faith, and the spiritual context for everything else. I need to trust more. I am, by nature, prone to worry — which I know is a fruitless pastime. I mean to revisit and meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6 often in the next 12 months. I know God is directing my life, but sometimes I wonder about the direction and even try to take control of the wheel! Feel free to remind me if I forget in the year to come.
With that context set, there are two other areas. First, Myra and I are rethinking our giving. We feel led to focus on fewer causes, and to try to make more impact. In addition, even as we know that our finances can’t stretch as far in this direction as we would like, we are committed to be more intent on prayer support for the causes we support financially. We’re most of the way through being clear what they will be. If the Spirit leads that way, I’ll share about them.
Second, good stewardship demands that we take some practical steps to maintain our house. We try to do some things every year, but it hasn’t been easy to keep up recently, and now we have to step up the action.
The one area that I haven’t really got to that feels like it needs attention is that of ministry/service. I’ve been more or less fallow for a while, and am seeking steadily for guidance as to what I should be doing.
I hope you haven’t come this far with me only to say “so what”. If you have, forgive me. What I’m hoping, though, is that you will be seeing the need for a review for some of the areas on my checklist — and might even see some of the things I’ve talked about as examples. I’d love to know about your year end reviews — and in any case, as I’ve already said to a few of you, may God’s plans for the New Year be the same as your wishes!