Resolution | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Resolution | Previous Challenge Entry
By Steve Thomas
01/12/16
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My Resolution

Every year around this time, I promised myself that things would be different. I vowed to leave this place different. I had no idea what would be different, or even when. I just knew that a transformation was coming. I believed it.

It all began like it always began, New Year’s Eve. Where I grew up, December 31 meant one thing: watch night service. This was the time when members of the church came together to close out the current year, and celebrate the coming of the new one. Those that had a bad year celebrated the hope that a new year would bring. Those that had a great year, celebrated the blessings of God and prayed for an even better year. None of this mattered to me, because I was bound and determined to make this year different than the previous one.

It started with my choice of clothes. I wanted to dress up, but I didn’t want anyone to know that I was wearing the best that I had. I needed to look decent. I settled on a pair of jeans that had more holes than they had material, and a sweater that they felt more like a blanket. For a moment, I started thinking about my old clothes. I became frustrated, but I had to keep going. This year, I reminded myself, must be different.

I sat in church for the longest 15 minutes in the history of time. Finally, our Pastor emerged from his office. He had with him a small metal cup and a bunch of small pieces of paper. He told us that he wanted to do something different this year. Rather than stand up and thank God for this year, he asked us to take a small piece of paper from him. We were to write down on the paper the one thing in life that was holding us back. He would then take all of the papers and burn them. I began to think about all of the men and women that attempted to ruin my yet to be developed life. I thought about the Algebra teacher that told me I would not graduate. I was only coming to school 1 day a week, but I didn’t deserve such a harsh criticism. There was the time when my dad took by baseball cards away from me for what seemed like a decade. I know what I did was wrong, but I deserved better. My mind then took me back to the first car that I purchased. It was a lemon! I know God told me to wait, but I really wanted that car.

It was now time to write down on my piece of paper the thing that was holding me back. We were then instructed to walk to the front of the church. I froze for a second; afraid to write down on the paper what was obvious to me. I walked slower, until I could reach out and touch the Pastor’s hand that was full of small pieces of paper. I did not bring my pen with me. I would potentially miss my chance for something different life had once again thrown me a curve ball! My one chance to move a mountain, and I forgot a pen. I started back to my seat, and felt something tapping on my shoulder. It was someone offering me their pen. . I stood in the aisle, and wrote down the following: God help me to remove from my life that which has held me back. I have been held back by

Watch night service is now different from what it was before. There seems to be a greater sense of direction, and faith. The parties after the service don’t matter. The service is now all about people and God, like it should be. What did I write down on that paper? I told God that the one thing in life that was holding me back was me.
Jesus encourages us to seek the Kingdom of God first (and all of its righteousness), and all these things will be added. I found out that the obstacles in my life were man made, and that my job was to trust God and have faith in Him. My New Year’s resolution was now committed to memory. Every day is a new day in Christ. It is chance to make a difference, to be a difference, in yourself first, and then, in how people see God.

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