90 Days of Submission

<sup>90 Days of Submission:

A lot of people make new years resolutions at the start of the new year. I do too, but like most others, mine are about stuff I'm going to do more of, or less of, and in the end, I act pretty much the same as I did the year before only with a little more fervor as a legalistic pharisee coupled with an increase in guilt for falling short. I don't want to resolve any more. I'm done with that... 

I feel like God's "fix Bryce" program is like learning the game of golf. Concentrate on keeping my eye on the ball, and I break my wrist on the swing. Concentrate on not breaking my wrist and I forget to follow through on the upswing. Concentrate on following through on the upswing and I forget to keep my eye on the ball.... I end up throwing a lot of golf balls and having to cheat to keep up with the rest of the foursome. Every time I get a good Christian a-ha moment about the golden thing to do that will fix all others, like fast, or read the Bible every morning at 5, or be less selfish, or some other good Christian thing to do, the end result (on repeat) is inevitably more guilt than good. I dismiss the "God's going to start fresh with me" attitude because it's been the 10th starting fresh this month already. I try to work myself up to giving it another go, but my heart's not invested in it. Deep down, I suspect I'll sabotage it at some point before I hit the allusive spiritual mark.

I'm tired of that way of relating to God. I can't keep up. I can't be a spiritual Martha Stewart (or whatever the masculine equivalent is). I don't really want to read another Christian book to hear another way to improve my behavior. I'm not very motivated to read Christian books right now.

Yet, God's awesome and says I'm a "New Creation in Christ". What I've done isn't working so, it's time to do something different. 

Simple: I'm just going to ask God what He wants me to do, then do it. For 90 days.

If he makes sure Lilly's in field's are dressed well, and looks after sparrows, he's got a pretty good point about how much he's on top of what I need. If I, being a wicked human, wouldn't think to give a rock to Josh when he asks for food, how much more will God know what I need?    

Psalm 25: 

My Declaration
1</sup> In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.

My Request
⁴ Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.

God's Character
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
¹² Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.^[b]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
¹⁴ The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.