Resolve

Resolve.  It’s a seemingly insignificant word.  Not one frequently used (unless you have to clean your carpet a lot).  It’s just two syllables. A mere seven letters. But yet, it is a mighty word for in it determines the success or failure of an endeavor.

I learned about this “resolve” characteristic last year in a study of Daniel.  Daniel and his pals – now they had some resolve!

Did they defile their bodies with tasty food?  “Nope.  Pass the fruits and vegetables, please.” (Daniel 1:8)

Bow to a statue?  “Over our dead bodies!” (Daniel 3:17-18)

Resolve.

Resolve requires you to make a decision before a decision.  It requires planning, discipline – and truth be told – good old fashioned stubbornness.

Stubbornness kind of gets a bad rap.  It gets thrown into the “character flaw” category a bit too often.  You’re more likely to hear someone say, “Would you PLEASE quit being so stubborn?” than you are to hear, “I love your stubbornness.  I wish I could be like that.”

Some people like to use sissy-words like, “determined” or “persistent,” but in my opinion, those are all just poodle-like synonyms for the great dane that is stubbornness.

Yep. Stubbornness needs a new image.   Stubbornness needs to take perseverance by the horns and show it who’s boss!

So, how can we give stubbornness a face lift? We can use our powers for good and not evil. We can use it to complete those resolutions we’ve set for the new year.

So, what have I resolved to do this year? What’s my passion? Well, this year, with the help of my awesomely cool and fabulous accountability group, we are reading through the Bible chronologically.

So, are you game? Come on! You know you want to roll up those sleeves of stubbornness and do it. All it takes is a little resolve.