New Year's Resolutions

Hey, So, I have recently been thinking about new year's resolutions.

New Year's resolutions generally end up being self-imposed restrictions that will 'make you a better person' or some goal which you hope to achieve but end up forgetting or some other trivial matter, maybe a joke..? I don't know, but the point is: New Year's Resolutions often fail and epically at that.

I had blogged 3 resolutions. They all related to me having better relationships with the people around me. I have now failed basically all of them. The third one is a semi-fail. It isn't as consistent as I had wanted it to be, but it's back on schedule now..?

In any case the point I was going to make is a point that was made in a seminar during winter conference. "Colossians 2:20-23 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." These rules that we have made for ourselves are bound to fall apart. Especially because often we will try by our own strength to live up to them. They often have nothing to do with what God wants for us, but just what we want for ourselves (read: selfish). God has a plan for us. Whether we follow it or not is our choice. It is the main choice between following God and going your own way. Basically that is the big problem; sin is doing things your own way, choosing to disobey God and go your own way.

So, ya. Resolutions are good, however, when they are in line with God's plan and you are praying about them and desiring to fulfill them. Although they must not be idols. So, ya. The main good I see in this is a motivation, a goal, something that you can in a much shorter term view fulfill and accomplish. Why should real goals only be made at the beginning of things..? At the beginning of the year, at the beginning of a semester, at the beginning of a new job, etc. You should make real goals throughout your life. xP

I have not made many goals, but when I have a goal I will pursue it to the end.

On Wednesday I failed at going sharing. I procrastinated by msning, starting my project application, trying to do some other things... In any case I finally went at 5:15 to go sharing. First, I ran into DS and MB and we had a very odd conversation. xP When they left, I went around the school looking for the standard 'random evangelism targets.' Those bored looking, lonely people sitting with nothing to do. I failed to find anyone to such a degree as that. You see, I didn't have that terrible feeling of fear that paralyzes and cripples me from approaching anyone, but I now had such high standards that I couldn't even approach anyone because they did not fulfill my new 'litmus test' for sharing.

You see... The way I saw it was that if anyone was:
-reading a book
-listening to their ipod or w/e with earbuds
-looking at their laptop
-sitting with other people
-not white or asian

I would pass them by much more easily. Ya. I know. That is a terrible list of 'excuses' that are so shallow and meaningless that they really should not be a problem. If they are reading, it is probably not that important (I mean I'm never in the library, so it mustn't really matter.). If they have earbuds in, it's probably some mundane music on an ipod. If they are on their laptop, it could be facebook, blogs, it could be a number of unproductive things. If they are sitting with other people, that means that if I share with them it is like sharing twice, but only actually once. The last one is a terrible excuse, but slightly true... I apologize that it is on that list, but I feel like I can relate more with those people, but it is no excuse. Everyone needs to know Jesus. The only way to know if they are too busy to have a conversation is if I ask them.

I have honestly walked around for two hours only having approached 2 people because 1. I felt so scared and 2. because they weren't free enough to talk to me, in my mind. On top of the fact that I wasted 2 hours the people would be too busy to talk, so I actually wouldn't have accomplished anything in those two hours. Now, of those two main excuses number 1 has been broken by Winter Conference and number 2 is just all me, I didn't actually know if they were busy or not.

So. The point of me telling you all this is that I am looking to go sharing practically daily rather than weekly and these are some barriers that I have put up that should not even exist. ,', I shall tear them down. That was a 'therefore' sign by the way. With the help of God, I will tear them down.

So. From now on I shall approach those people that I 'feel' are too busy to share with.

Monday: I shall approach those who are reading a book. Clearly what they are reading is less important than if they were reading the Bible.

Tuesday: I shall approach those with earbuds / headphones. Mark 4:9 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" Instead of listening to music that probably doesn't have a good message, they should hear the truth.

Wednesday: I shall approach people in a group of two. What good is it to spread the message to only one person..? You will never fulfill the great commission that way. All need to learn the truth that there is a loving God. Paul preached to thousands and thousands came to Christ. You can't get thousands to come to Christ if you only preach to one person at a time.

Thursday: I will approach people on their lap tops / notebooks. Laptops and Notebooks can be used not only as a study tool, but also as a tool for procrastinating and leisure and wasting time. Entropy says that there are far more ways to waste time than to be productive. By this logic it is likely that people on a laptop are wasting their time. Possibly playing flash games or facebook or whatever. Only your relationship with God matters in the end.

Friday: I will approach all types of people. Matthew 28:19 "... go and make disciples of all nations..." We have been told to go and bring the gospel to all ends of the earth, to all people.

In all cases I must rely on the Spirit though. It will never be my words that convince someone that God exists, but it will be God himself working in their hearts that will bring them back to Him and His loving arms.

Ya... xP Super long post. Deal with it. xP

D.Fa