It’s that time of year when people make “resolutions.” I have never been big on those, mainly because if I made a resolution I would stress myself out trying to fulfill it and feel guilty if I didn’t totally complete the goal. It’s just not worth it to me.
I do, however, like the thoughts of a new year, a new beginning, a fresh start or a clean slate. Personally, thinking about that is more appealing to me.
I was considering the phrase a clean slate. I’m probably older than some of you but it made me think of when I was in elementary school and our teachers used chalk and chalkboards. Every day, the teacher would choose a student to erase the board. When you erased the board, it would remove everything off the board and it became a clean slate for the next day. Basically, a clean slate is a new start by clearing the record. In other words, to me, a clean slate or a fresh start gives us permission to start over or begin again.
It’s a new day or a new year and we have an opportunity to make changes. Isn’t that what God does for us every day, and sometimes more than once a day? The fact is we all are sinners. If we accept Jesus we are given a clean slate as our sins are forgiven. We have the opportunity for a fresh start.
We have a Heavenly Father whose love is never-ending. We have new mercies every single day and a faithful Father. In Lamentations 3:22-23 the Bible says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.”
Instead of making a resolution this year, I have decided to do something different. A resolution is a decision or a determination. I have made a decision to center my attention on three words.
The first one is “reflect.” One of the definitions of reflect is to give back an image or likeness of, as if by a mirror. I want to reflect Jesus in my life. The only way to do this is to spend time in the Word and with Jesus. He needs to be first and foremost in my thoughts and actions. My desire is to show, express, and be a sign to others of Jesus. I want to reflect Jesus.
The second word is “refocus.” I recently went to the eye doctor for my checkup. For some reason, the prescription they gave me for new contacts was very off. Everything was blurry and out of focus. I couldn’t see clearly at all. I went back and they adjusted the prescription and it was amazing how much better I could see. My vision was refocused with the new contacts.
At times I can feel like my spiritual vision is out of focus. I don’t know about you but in the hard seasons of life, I tend to lose focus of all God has done for me. In the last few years, it seems like our family has been in those hard seasons more often than not. I have to refocus my eyesight and put it on God. I need to let the worldly things fade out of my vision knowing that God loves and cares about me more than I can even fathom. I have to take my eyes off of the circumstances and refocus my sight on Jesus.
The last word I am using is “reframe.” I want to reframe my thoughts. I want to look at situations in a different way. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” I want to reframe the situation and say, “What opportunity will God have for me in this?” Instead of seeing change in my life as scary and stressful, I want to reframe the situation to see what new things God has in store for me. Instead of seeing things in a negative light, I want to reframe my thoughts to see things in a positive light.
I need to keep in the forefront of my mind the scripture in Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I need to reframe my thoughts knowing God’s ways and thoughts are better than mine could ever even try to be.
These three words reflect, refocus, and reframe will be my words for the new year. I know I will not always succeed in using these words in my daily life. I also know that God will bring them to my mind when my reflection is changing, my focus is off, and I need to reframe my situations. He lovingly will remind me that my desire is to reflect Him, to refocus my eyes on Him and not my situation, and to reframe my thoughts to a higher purpose.
My prayer is that every time I look in a mirror I will think about who I am reflecting – Jill or Jesus. I also pray that every time before I put my contacts in my eyes I will be reminded that to see clearly I need contacts, but to see spiritually I need to see Jesus. And lastly, I pray that every time my thoughts cause me to ask “why” I will reframe those thoughts to trusting God’s purpose and plan.
Reflect. Refocus. Reframe. Those are the key words to center my attention on for 2024. Whatever your resolution or attention is on for the new year, I pray you will determine to have it involve the most important person and decision you will ever make – Jesus!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
