It’s the time of the year in which we start to self-assess. Did I lose the weight I wanted? Did I stick to that new workout routine? Did I get that promotion? Did I reach out to that estranged friend? Did I limit my screen time and spend more time with family? At some point, after eating candy canes and before picking out the bubbly for New Year’s’ Eve, the resolutions made at the beginning of the year come rushing back. Maybe goals were accomplished, maybe they weren’t, or maybe none were set, just passively considered. Whatever the case, the new year offers hope while shining a glaring light on the discontent lurking in the heart.
The temptation is to move seamlessly into judging others. Looking at the lives of smiling faces blurred by rapid scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, our hearts are prone to envy. Envy of the engagements, new births, expected births, new jobs, friendships, freedom to travel, or the before and after fitness photos. This jealousy can settle in our hearts like soot and ash. The happy and bright window displays of photographs hide so much. We know this, but we breathe in the appearance of perfection and cough on unrealistic ideas that stir up misplaced longings. The weight of that inside can poison the joy and peace God has so graciously offered us.
For me and many others, this life of striving is normal. It is a weight that bares down on our chest, constantly getting heavier. It buries our purpose under meaningless, self-imposed duties. The call to be freed from these burdens is so clear.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Hidden in this invitation are the better things that I truly need. It has nothing to do with dropping a pant size or reaching my next exercise milestone. In fact, it rejects those ideals altogether. Pushing aside the pressure to self-attain, it asks me to surrender to rest. Embracing God’s rest brings wholeness, health, and joy—all those things that I try to obtain through other methods.
Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely. For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay. You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures. Psalm 16:9-11
My mind struggles to understand how I could be given such valuable things. My sinful nature, which is full of pride, rebels against things I don’t have to work for. Instead, I set goals and strive for an allusive idea of better. I accept a weight that leaves me weary and worn down and, most of all, unsuccessful. The more I strive to be fearless and strong and satisfy my needs, the farther I get from the true solution. The way out of this pattern is through God’s love and redemptive power. Those God calls to Himself, He redeems fully. The need to strive to meet a standard is a worthless pursuit. It is through His will we aren’t subject to the wrath we fully deserve.
Rather than striving this year, I will be recognizing. I will recognize who God is rather than attempt to build up who I am. There will be no plans of my own. Instead, I will pray for a willingness to see where God takes me. I won’t grab hold of an idea of who I should be before the new year rolls around, I am going to look to God and wait to see how He will transform me over the next 12 months. Where you are might look different from where I am in my walk with God, but I want to encourage you to be resolute in your reverence for God and His will. It might mean prayerfully surrendering idols that could include health, relationships, career or something else entirely. Instead of setting and striving towards these things, I want to encourage you to submit them to God. Let’s resolve to daily release things that we have held and the plans we have made. Let’s watch where it leads when we rest in Christ’s strength and His ability to empower us to follow His will. We are safe in His love. God’s plans for us are good, and we have the assurance of rest for our souls along the path of toward our ultimate goal of reflecting Christ and bringing glory to God.
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30
