New Year's Resolution

Let’s say you have a weakness, a flaw, a bad habit—and you’ve been trying for years to get rid of it—every year you make a New Year’s resolution to excise it from your life—but it still remains. Well, maybe it’s time to try a different approach. Try taming it, domesticating it, clearing it, and cultivating it.

If you can’t get rid of it, make it work for you!

The Bible has many stories of God turning an individual’s weakness into strength. David was a little guy when he fought Goliath, the giant Philistine—but his youth made him agile. Ruth was a penniless immigrant—the fact that she had nothing to lose made her bold.

The Apostle Paul describes his struggle with a particular weakness:
“So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” (2 Cor. 7-10 MSG)

Lord, through your Word and Spirit, mold my weaknesses into strengths—so that I may fulfill your purpose.