Pastor Tim's Corner

Can you believe that the year 2009 is here? I’m beginning to understand what my parents meant when they used to talk about “time flying.”

If we were to play a word association game in which you said all the words that came to your mind when you heard “New Year” the word “change” would inevitably come up.

There’s no doubt about it, there is something about the passing of one year into the next that makes us contemplate change. “This year I’m going to lose weight.” “This year I’m going to commit more time and energy to my family.” “This year I’m finally going to beat that bad habit.” “This year I’m really going to concentrate on spiritual growth.” I suspect that most of us have made resolutions like those and most of us have broken them. Like one fellow wrote:

I’ll make no resolutions,
I find no need for such.
I have a set from last year
That hasn’t yet been touched.

The most common reason we so often fail to make genuine changes in our lives is that we depend too much on our strategies and strength rather than God’s. I read about a little boy who was trying to move a large rock in his back yard one day (who knows why, little boys just do those things!). His father watched as the boy tugged and pulled and struggled without even budging the rock. Finally the dad asked, “Son, are you using all your strength?” In frustration, the little guy answered, “Yes, Dad, I’m using all my strength.” And the wise father replied, “No, you’re not. You haven’t asked me to help you.”

That is exactly the problem we have. We become aware of needs in our lives and we make our best attempts to change them, but we don’t allow our Heavenly Father to help.

Psalm 118:14 says, “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” So go ahead and set those goals and make those resolutions, but instead of trying to do it all yourself, lean your Heavenly Father.