Rewiring and Resolutions

2 Kings 18:4

He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)

When the Romans named the first month of the calendar after the mythical, two-faced Janus, they marked new year’s eve to be the time where they too could look backward and forward at the same time. Since then, it has become a ritual, pagans and Christians alike, to reflect on the flaws of the past year and resolve to change it on the coming year. According to an innovation specialist, of those making lists, 34% set resolutions related to money, 38% to weight, 47% on self improvement, and 31% on relationships.  Sadly, achievement rate is only 8%. Three out of four people never succeeded. Psychology Today explains, ‘Trying to change that default thinking by ‘not trying to do it,’ in effect just strengthens it. Change requires creating new neural pathways from new thinking.’ In short, we have to rewire our brains.

Of the twenty kings of Judah, eight were mentioned good, but only three had the description: ‘He did what was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done’. The other five may have ruled right, but only Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah chose to be men after God’s own heart. What’s the difference? The verse above serves as our best clue. The good kings made efforts to get rid of the idolatry in the land. They actually did well in starting the resolution list.  Then somewhere along the line, instead of stepping further, they stopped. They became settled. Unlike the three godly kings whose zeal were unstoppable until the idols were marked removed, smashed, and cut down. But those were just the observable, behavioral results. What really happened was the rewiring of their brains. They first made sure theirs were connected and in tune with God’s heartbeat.  With their devotion in place, they have no need for positive thinking or willpower. They succeeded because it was all His thoughts, His will, and His power at work.

It’s fifteen days to new year and usually, our heading writes, ‘My Resolution For 2012’. With that, I could easily jot down healthier meals, earlier mornings and happier kids to my list. But should it really be MY name on that paper? What if for once we follow the three kings’ template and put God’s Name and His will on top? Do we have the feeling He’ll say: ‘Read your bible, pray everyday’?  Or are we more afraid He’ll say ‘Take up your cross and follow Me’? Making Him the Lord of our 2012 implies our resignation as life managers. But haven’t we been failing on this duty for many years now? Let go and let God! Change happens not in doing things but by trusting in Him. If we really want freedom from our past and have a promising future ahead - - begin with God. He’s the only way to a really happy new year.