By David Hegg
Every new year brings the promise of improvement. We hope this year will be better than the one just passed. We hope for better health, a better economy, and a better life experience in critical areas. We want better relationships, less worry, and far less tragedy.
Ironically, we think that simply hoping, wanting and wishing will bring change. But all too soon, the brutal fact hits us in the face: If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll keep getting what we’ve got!
If we want something better, we have to get better ourselves.
Years ago, a good friend locked me into a conversation about what we wanted our lives to become over the next five years. When I asked him what he wanted to be a few years later, he offered a one-word answer: “Better. I want to improve in every area of my life.”
I have always remembered that conversation and often reminded myself of the utter brilliance of his answer.
Too frequently, we attempt to make significant changes only to fail because we are not fit enough to endure substantial change. We’re not emotionally tough enough to sustain the sacrifices it will take to make up for years of selfish choices. It is necessary to realize that it may take as long to undo something as it took to do it.
Take the perpetual battle of the waistline. Ninety percent of the people reading this column think they are overweight. I can also imagine that most of us will make some New Year’s resolutions about exercising more, eating less, and eating better.
And in the back of our minds, we’re hoping to drop 20, 30 or 50 pounds. But who are we kidding? It took us several years to go from svelte to swollen! What makes us think we’ll lose those pounds before Memorial Day?
And that’s the problem. We start with unrealistic expectations and then get demoralized when they aren’t met. And usually, in our demoralized state, we go back to eating junk and end up gaining even more weight. You can take this illustration and change the problem; it will still hold true.
So, what to do? Here’s the deal: Let’s set our minds to get better. Don’t set some outlandish weight loss, exercise, or other goal that is actually a wish-dream. Just be determined to be better today and do it again tomorrow.
And if you’re trying to drop some weight, don’t set a target weight. If you do, when you hit it, you’ll revert to your “normal” way of life. Instead, make it your goal to be better tomorrow than today. We all know that what is needed isn’t some special diet or 30-day plan. What is necessary is a change of life that has to begin with a change of mind.
At this point, my integrity forces me to tell you some hard truth.
You will never get better without some pain, some sacrifice. If what you’ve got now is the result of what you’re doing, you’ll have to stop doing it and start doing something better. And better usually means going against the selfish, easy, comfortable choices you’ve been making for some time.
The bottom line is this: you’ve got to become the master of your own will rather than let your desires fuel your will to the degree that it overrules your mind and takes your body down the wrong path. Quit being such a patsy! It’s time you stopped abdicating your role as master of your life and take back control. And if you do, and if you persevere, next year at this time, you’ll look back and be able to say, “I’m so much better.”
May you all have a happy, prosperous, and better New Year!
Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.
