As we usually do we asked a group of our friends: “Do you have any resolutions for the New Year?” A few people shared what they were planning to do and we had a nice discussion around goals, plans, etc. Our friend Leslie shared something she had heard around the idea of resolutions and new year promises. Instead of setting a specific goal or having a specific resolution the suggestion was to have a word or a phrase to live by throughout the year. Every day think about that word/phrase, meditate upon it and pray how you can work it more closely into your life. Words/phrases such as “Healthy Living”, “Forgiveness”, “Worship”, “Letting Go” and “Compassion” would be examples of things to incorporate into your life on a daily basis. One of the suggestions that came up was an acronym that was shared during last Sunday’s worship service. The acronym spells the word FLASH.
During the conclusion of my sermon I had posed the question: “What do you, as a follower of Jesus, do to purposefully develop your walk and spiritual formation in Christ.” Sue Lucas, who was visiting our church with her family, shared that she follows this acronym she developed several years ago:
F – Forgiveness
L – Love
A – Acceptance
S – Service
H – Humility
Sue explained that she practices a daily meditative prayer and reflection that helps her to start her day as a disciple of Jesus. She breathes in Forgiveness and breathes out resentment, hurt and anger. She breathes in Love and breathes out not caring and indifference. She breathes in Acceptance and lets go of judgementalism and condemnation. She breathes in Service and surrenders self centeredness. She breathes in Humility and breathes out pride and ego. My wife Susan and I both practiced this during the week and found it to be a very enriching experience to sit at the feet of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to begin to transform our hearts and thoughts.
My resolution was going to be to eat unhealthy and not exercise just to do something different from all my previous resolutions. But I really liked what Leslie shared and I think my resolution will be to have a word or phrase to help guide me this year. I have not yet decided which word or phrase I will use but we are early in the 2015 game! If you have not come up with a resolution or are tired of resolutions maybe you would like the idea of a word or phrase to help you. Maybe F.L.A.S.H. would work for you. Its easy and Biblically sound.
If you have a resolution, a word/phrase you have chosen, decide to do F.L.A.S.H. or have any other helpful suggestions please send them to me and we will post them. Who knows, maybe you will help someone to have an enriching, productive, fulfilling and happy new year.