Things That Don’t Work
It’s the beginning of a new year, and a time when people make new resolutions. They resolve to finally drop those extra pounds, to clean that garage, to finish those unfinished books sitting on the shelf, to do their taxes before the April deadline, and the list continues.
New year resolutions work for some and they don’t for others. For some people, new year resolutions will usually last for a few days, or perhaps a few weeks for those who are more determined. For the most majority though, these resolutions made on January 1st will usually dissipate before the end of the month.
As 2023 comes to an end and 2024 is peeking around the corner, it might be better to try a different approach. When trying to complete any given task, many would agree that one important step is to figure out what works and then spend all the necessary time, energy, and resources on that. This is common sense: fix your attention on those things that work, and the chances for success are almost guaranteed.
One aspect on the opposite side of the matter is focusing on those things that do not work - we’ve tried them again and again for many years, and they simply do not work. So it could be concluded that In order to be successful with whatever task we engage in, it is not enough to keep doing those things that work … we must also stop doing those things that do not work.
Talk about a new year’s resolution!
I am not big on new year resolutions. Over the years, they have not worked well for me. I do want to try something new in 2024 though: my resolution is to stop spending time, energy, and resources on things that do not work.
Continuing to do things that simply do not work is like trying to hammer down a nail using the wrong end of a hammer! Stopping this kind of attempt is not the same as giving up. There is a fine line between giving up on something that might work and halting something that is clearly a waste of time, energy, and resources.
The prophet Isaiah asked his readers: “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2)
Applying Isaiah’s exhortation to this idea of halting things that do not work, we can perhaps read his words in this manner: “Why do you spend your time, energy, and resources on projects that are doomed to fail from the start? Why do you work so hard on things that do not work? Listen to me; come here and listen to me: start spending your resources on things that are worth your investment, and you will enjoy great success.”
Obviously, the prophet Isaiah was specifically talking about finding spiritual success and satisfaction, but the general principle is the same - we, along with Isaiah’s audience, are going to experience a great harvest when we not only direct our attention to things that work but also when we stop spending our time, energy, and resources on things that do not work.
Think for a moment about some life areas where following this principle could bring great success and perhaps great relief: family life, professional life, church life, relationships, financial planning, health and wellbeing … add whatever you want to this list.
I am a follower of Christ, a husband, a father, a musician, an educator, a church servant-leader, and a couple other things I can’t remember right now :) As 2023 comes to an end and 2024 is knocking at the door, I won’t make a list of new year resolutions, but I shall try to stop doing those things that do not work in my personal and professional life. So help me God.
How about you?
