Christian Living

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Have you made any new resolutions yet? Did I hear your snarling words of not making them because you won't keep them? Okay, I understand that bad mood. Now, may I ask one final question on this subject?

Do you ever start reading a book and close it before you come to the end?

May I suggest we may have done this in many different situations?
Our mood dictated the outcomes. Could these have been your thoughts in 2006?

“I’m not in the mood to be nice to her.” Book closed.
“I’m not in the mood to listen to his problems.” Book Closed.
“I’m not in the mood to change my eating habits.” Book closed.
“I’m not in the mood to go to church.” Book closed.

I wonder how many will say those words this Sunday? When I think about it, my mother never asked me if I were in the mood to go to Sunday school. That question never came up at our house either, as we raised two boys. By the way, they still go to church.

One final thought on this. Did you ever hear Moody Self mumble, “I’m definitely not in a spiritual mood today?” To be honest with you, I’ve never quite figured out what a spiritual mood is. Do you know?

I do remember one time when Jesus was in a spiritual mood he washed his disciples dirty feet. Seems to me, we as Christians, ought to be on look out for people with “dirty feet” so we can let them know we care this coming year.

I read somewhere our moods are not removed by just praying but, at times, by kicking. Maybe in the New Year we need to put ourselves in the “kicking business.” Just kick away until you break up the pity party we are having for ourself; kick away all hurt feelings and over sensitive, thin-skinned reactions to others.

So, since the best remedy of moodiness seems to be action, could we join together in the year 2007 and do this:

Make up our minds we are responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness. We should not lay that responsibility on our family, our friends, our job or our church. Let’s just close the door on this moody attitude.

Stop stewing and start doing. Move the clock from winding-down time to a gearing-up time. Just do one thing for short time. Set a clock and work for fifteen minutes. Stop. Enjoy your clean spot, one letter or email answered, one flowerbed weeded or one phone call made. You might want to also enjoy one short nap or a time spent alone with God.

If you are a Christian, God has given you a new nature or a new mood. This new nature can help you overcome those “throw in the towel bouts.” It can generate love to give away to others. It will direct you to self-discipline based on a healthy relationship with God, with others and with your self…the self God intended for you to be.

You want to kick something today? Then have at it. Kick those bad moods right out of your life. That is my Number One Resolution for today. Book closed.

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