Less Doing, More Being

How are those New Year's resolutions going?

We're more than half-way through January and if you're like most people, you've totally trashed those big goals and resolutions that you set out to accomplish on Jan. 1.

I've tried these in the past: "This is the year of giving up chocolate," and then on the 7th, I find a bag of peanut M&Ms and it's cave-in time. Or, "I'm going to be more patient in 2015," and then the alarm wasn't set and now I'm caught in traffic running frustratingly late to a meeting.

Sometimes I wonder if we are simply setting ourselves up for failure by setting unrealistic goals or resolutions. Venturing into this new year, let's focus on being rather than doing and aligning with the things in our lives that truly matter and should have priority. Here are some to consider:

Faith

Will you be a faith-filled person this year? What will you do this year to grow in your relationship with God? Commit to spending more time reading the Bible and applying it to your life. I love Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."

If reading the Bible is new to you, that's OK. A great place to start is the book of John. And commit to attending church on the weekend. This is where you're going to connect with God and others through a relevant message and worship.

Family

When the end of your life nears, the stuff you've spent so much time and effort pursuing doesn't seem to matter as much as your family and loved ones do. This is an area that I need to work on. For me, it's finding the off switch on work and learning to unplug when I get home. I recently read a blog that challenged readers to commit to the following:

• No smartphones or tablets in the bedroom.

• No use of devices during mealtime.

• No pulling out your phone during a conversation.

• No texting and driving.

Perhaps we should all take on this challenge in 2015 so that we can learn to be more present.

Friendships

In this day and age, we're more connected than ever via our electronic devices, but we're so relationally poor. Don't substitute artificial online friendships with real human connections that God has designed us for. Perhaps this year you need to deepen a few friendships by carving out some time to spend together face to face. Maybe it's time to check out a small group where you can grow and do life with others. The Lord designed in-person friendships to nurture your soul in a way that online connections simply can't.

There could be more, but if these are the top items on your priority list, you can focus here to get the results you want in life.

My prayer for you is that next December you'll be able to look back to see that God is the central part of your life, not just a weekend thing, and that your life will reflect this in your family, friendships and to those around you.