We have now moved past the first week of the New Year and 2012 is off to a running start. Many people are making resolutions and trying to stay on track. A news story caught my attention recently when it stated that only 44% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will actually keep them and end up making a change. With such a discouraging statistic, it’s pretty safe to say that New Year’s resolutions don’t really work.
But what about having the desire to make a change spiritually? What would it take to be successful in such an endeavor? Well, I’m about to find out.
In my last post, I talked about striving to mirror my relationship with God in all that I do. So what does this commitment look like in action if I were to put it in place for 2012? While others are looking into the mirror in order to measure weight lost and gained and physical appearance, perhaps I could look into the mirror and be reminded that I am called to reflect Christ. Instead of focusing on my outward appearance and seeking to look presentable on the outside, I could look deeper and check the condition of my heart.
Just last week, I found myself needing to check my attitude and consider if I was truly reflecting Christ in my words and actions. I was frustrated and feeling as if I was being used as a benefit to someone else. Nothing that I seemed to do merited any sense of gratitude from this person, and personal resources were implemented as a means to make things easier for this individual. But did any of this benefit me? No. It only made me angry, and I quickly regretted opening myself up to being trampled upon, in a sense.
Finally, I snapped. I went online and vented to a friend via Facebook chat. But instead of feeling better about releasing pent-up frustration, I came away from our conversation feeling worse. What had I gained from sharing my burden with my friend? Nothing. I should have been wiling to serve another with a cheerful heart, but instead, I was succumbing to an attitude that was far from Christ-like.
I have heard it said that there are certain people in our lives that can be referred to as “Extra Grace Required.” I would definitely say that I was dealing with one of those people, and in that moment, my goal to serve in 2011 and my projected goal of being a mirror in 2012 suddenly collided. How could I serve someone who required extra grace on my part and still reflect Christ’s love?
So I drew in a deep breath, took a step back, and closed my mouth. I wanted to complain about the injustice of the situation and demand I be repaid, but instead, I did my best to quietly serve this person even though my heart wasn’t exactly in it. It wasn’t easy and I’m still frustrated over what happened, but when I think about where my words of negativity could have taken me, I grimace. My attitude and thoughts were far from mirroring Christ.
Needless to say, I learned my lesson, and I am in need of a constant reminder of what it means to reflect Christ in my life. So as a reminder, I now have a small hand mirror on my desk, and in glancing into its reflection, I am instantly reminded to check my attitude before reaching out to serve.
I am still learning what it means to reflect Christ while serving, and I’m sure you will read more about this in the weeks to come. But for now, I pray that my ramblings have caused you to check your own heart condition.
cassiecontemplates 