Are You Making 2011 Resolutions? Read...

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. Psalm 62:5

If you are anything like me, you are ready to pull your Christmas decor down, deep clean your house and get back into rhythm. I loved Christmas this year. Oh my, yes!

But I love structure and predictability, too. Two things the holidays aren't quick to offer.

Oh, the New Year. Such a stake in the ground. A mark in the road - Transition. Change. Turning.

And every December's end, I bombard myself with an overwhelming list of goals for the next year.

Most of which I'm not very consistent with after February.

Do you know how many times I have read the Bible through in a year? Do you know how many times I have stopped in Exodus? Oh the irony. I guess I'm still wandering around in the desert.

Goal: the end toward which your effort is directed. Aim.

As I read over the definition of a goal, I recognized that determining a goal is not a flippant thing, at all. My efforts need to be reserved for only important things. Outside of my already established routine, I don't have much effort to give away.

So determining my goals needs to be solely directed by the Holy Spirit.

What are we aiming for this year, Lord?

So the next couple of days, I am spending much of my prayer and reading on this alone. Goals. I want to hear from Him on what we need to be doing this year.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence. Psalm 62:5

So I will wait.

And my pen will not make one strike without hearing from Him.

I could easily fill up a page with "Eat more vegetables. Read a new book every month. Memorize a new scripture every week. Volunteer at the mission. Do more crafts with the boys. Train for a new race. Send more greeting cards. Watch less TV. Cut back on sugar and caffeine...."

None of these are bad. They are all very good things, actually. But where does the Lord want my efforts directed?

My life is not my own. My goals are not my own. My body is not my own. My hands are not my own. My time is not my own. My children are not my own. My marriage is not my own. My house is not my own. My money is not my own.

Everything is His.

Will you wait on the Lord to direct your 2011 efforts?