study<\/span><\/a> showed that only 46 percent of people who made resolutions actually succeeded in accomplishing them.<\/span><\/p>\nPerhaps we need a different kind of fresh start as a nation, a different kind of resolution. What if, instead of trying to be or achieve more, we resolved to simply be who we are\u2014beloved by God?<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1260\/2021\/01\/StockSnap_FHYHQWMEVY.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A Resolution Not Dependent on Willpower<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nThankfully, this resolution doesn\u2019t depend on our own willpower. Instead of relying on our own strength to do a daily 3-mile walk or resist that donut at the coffee shop, this resolution leans into what God has already done.<\/span><\/p>\nMy own resolution to focus on soaking up God\u2019s inexhaustible love was inspired by a deep study of the book of Hosea. I had read the book several times before, but always found it confusing and cryptic. I mean, why would God ask a godly prophet to marry a promiscuous prostitute? But this time the lesson clicked. God used the marriage between Hosea and his wife Gomer as a real-life object lesson of His love for His people Israel\u2014and for me. At last I understood that God\u2019s love did not depend on my perfection\u2014Gomer had disobeyed God\u2019s law. His love didn\u2019t hinge on my accomplishments\u2014Gomer\u2019s resume was anything but impressive. God\u2019s love wasn\u2019t determined by how well I kept my resolutions\u2014Gomer didn\u2019t even keep her marriage vows.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen those truths finally sunk in, the burden of trying to be more, the weight of continually trying harder fell away. I didn\u2019t have to improve myself to make myself worthy of God\u2019s love. He simply loves because He loves me.<\/span><\/p>\nSo how do we resolve to live loved? Primarily, this means making the decision to rest in our identity as God\u2019s beloved, instead of continually striving to improve and prove ourselves. But, if you\u2019re like me, you need a little guidance. Here are a few things that might work:<\/span><\/p>\nRead God\u2019s Love Letter<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\nI love reading Scripture, but in some seasons of life I\u2019ve read it as an instruction manual or a history book. That approach gave me wisdom, for sure. But real heart change happened when I began to read the Bible as God\u2019s love letter to me. <\/span><\/p>\nExamining the Bible with this lens helps me see that even obscure stories like Hosea and Gomer\u2019s demonstrate how God loves me\u2014not because I\u2019m perfect\u2014but because He is love. Hosea 14:6 shares God\u2019s words to Israel, \u201cI will love them freely<\/i>\u201d (emphasis added). God doesn\u2019t say, \u201cI will love them if they get in shape.\u201d Or, \u201cI will love them if they get their act together.\u201d He loved His people unconditionally.<\/span><\/p>\nGod loves you without reservation too. He will never say, \u201cI will love her if she loses ten pounds\u201d or \u201cI will love her if she finally organizes her messy garage.\u201d Because Jesus paid the price for our sin and mistakes, we receive His love at no cost to us. God loves us freely.<\/span><\/p>\nStart to sift through the words of Scripture to find God\u2019s passion.\u00a0 <\/span>Read God\u2019s Word with an eye for His tenderness, His compassion, His relentless love.<\/span><\/p>\nRemember God Constantly Pursues Your Heart<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\nDuring my study of the book of Hosea, I was astounded to discover that Gomer left Hosea after they had been married for several years and had three children. Why would she go back to her old life after Hosea rescued her from that life of exploitation? Hosea was probably dumbfounded too! Yet even though Hosea\u2019s heart and pride suffered damage, God told the prophet, \u201cGo again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress\u201d (Hosea 3:1). I can easily imagine Hosea protesting, \u201cOkay, Lord. For your sake, I\u2019ll go and bring her back. But, love her?\u201d Yet once again, I saw how Hosea\u2019s actions became a picture of God\u2019s relentless love. Even if I run away, the Lord will pursue my heart. He will love me patiently, persistently.<\/span><\/p>\nSo when you fail\u2014and we all do\u2014don\u2019t imagine for one minute that God has thrown up His hands and given up on you. Instead, think of Gomer\u2019s story and remember God still pursues you. When you\u2019ve given into donut temptation, when you\u2019ve let down a friend, when you\u2019ve yelled at your kids, God invites you into His arms for forgiveness and reconciliation.<\/span><\/p>\nRealize God Desires an Intimate Relationship with You<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\nAs I studied Hosea, I marveled at how God used the marriage relationship as a picture of His love. The Lord told His people, \u201cAnd I will betroth you to me\u00a0forever.\u00a0I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy\u201c (Hosea 2:19). And I heard Him speak those words to me too. God could have sent Jesus to save me from my sin and then treated me as a servant, but He wants so much more. He wants to be my Husband, my Lover, my Confidant. <\/span><\/p>\nLet\u2019s not settle for a superficial relationship with Christ. Ask yourself, \u201cDoes my relationship with God look more like a marriage or like a Facebook friendship? Do I know a lot of facts about God or do I know Him<\/i>?\u201d How amazing that the God who created the universe wants you to know Him as intimately as you know your spouse or best friend! Instead of making a resolution to read three chapters in the Bible each day, spend time in the Word to simply know<\/i> the One who is devoted to you. <\/span><\/p>\nThis year, press into God\u2019s love for you\u2014read His Word as the love letter it is. When you feel the need to impress and perform, remember He loves you freely. When you have taken a wrong turn in life, remind yourself that God still pursues your heart and wants you to return to Him. When your life with God starts to become a dreary intellectual exercise, remember He wants your relationship with Him to be a passionate love affair.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>
Photo credit: StockSnap<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s that time again. Time to usher in a new presidency and a time to make New Year\u2019s resolutions. Every year we attempt to write down a list of goals we hope to accomplish. Some of my goals are to do more: organize my photos, read twenty books that I already own, finally clean my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4245,"featured_media":954,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,6],"tags":[288,331,385,102,376],"class_list":["post-940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-events","category-women-of-the-bible","tag-healing","tag-brothers-and-sisters-in-christ","tag-inauguration-day-hopes","tag-new-season","tag-resolutions"],"yoast_head":"\n
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