I am writing this on December 31, 2012, HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone!  

The New Year is one of those times when we tend to “take stock” of ourselves and to RESOLVE to make changes in our lives.  Generally we lose our resolve somewhere around mid-February.  I have only kept one Resolution in my life.  In 1988, I resolved never to make another resolution in my life.

That does not mean that I do not examine myself during this time of year and plan on making some changes, I just realize that I am the guy who got myself into this mess, and I am not really going to get myself out of it.  I need help.  I need God.

I have found in my life that I have tried to quit bad habits and establish good habits on my own only to run afoul of myself, get frustrated and quit.  When I began to think about God and what He would want for my life those things began to change.  I began to ask Him what He wanted in my life.  Oh sure, I would argue with Him about my lack of previous success; “God, you know I’ve already tried to do that.”  He listened patiently and then told me that this time would be different, this time I would have help – His help.  Oh sure, I still messed up, but instead of getting frustrated and quitting, I would get frustrated and ask for forgiveness, and ask Him to keep helping me.  It took time, and occasionally, I still mess up, but it’s different now.  I have not quit, I keep working on it.

So, if you are going to attempt to make changes in your life (and I hope you do), I HIGHLY recommend you find out what God wants to do in your life and focus on that, with His help, and His strength.  You will find you are far more effective that way.  Oh sure, you will fail at times, but forgive yourself, ask His forgiveness and press on.

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.