Discovering Our Source of Strength

Kristina Talbot shares how we can shift New Year’s resolutions into sustainable transformations.

Some time ago, a friend invited me to join one of those exercise apps that helps track your progress and encourages you to work out. This was a welcome change of pace, and I learned that I am easily motivated by badges even if I don’t exactly get to wear them. The app had badges for working out ‘x’ number of days, ‘y’ weeks in a row, and even for tuning into different types of music for your workouts. I was surprised by how validating it was to view my badges obtained and feel the delight of earning something I didn’t even know was possible. This part of my fitness journey was the beginning of shifting away from broken streaks and moving towards sustainable lifestyle changes.

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Turning the page on a new calendar year can be both exciting and daunting. Through the years, I have learned that it is better to set simple measurable goals with a plan in place to achieve them, rather than large ambiguous goals that are difficult to gage. For example, instead of saying, “I’m going to work out more this year.” Try saying, “I’m going to work out 3 times this week at 8 a.m.” What happened for me over the course of setting weekly goals was the development of habits that had previously felt unobtainable and had not been successfully sustained.

The more I utilized fitness apps to support my efforts the more I noticed a common thread in the words that many instructors utilized. The messaging spoke about how much I could do and how strong I am and how I can do anything I put my mind to. This positive signaling is not inherently erroneous, but for me, it lacked connection to my reality that I am often unsuccessful when I try to do things solely by my power alone.

I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. (Philippians 4:13)

I have begun to conclude that many New Year’s resolutions fade within the first month because we try to do them on our own. While it is important to take the initiative and set goals with measurable outcomes, it is also important to bring the planning of our goals before the Lord who is a God of order. Over the course of many years, my fitness journey was often unsuccessful because my motivation was geared towards chasing a number on a scale.

The deeper I reflected on developing healthy habits, the less it became centered around trying to look a certain way and the more it shifted towards lifestyle goals that involved playing with my children and being able to enjoy outdoor activities. Such a shift was not led by my own accord but developed out of asking the Lord for His lead in this aspect of my life. What transpired was not only a different type of motivation, but also welcome support and encouragement from those around me. This newfound commitment to my health was not a one-dimensional decision as I discovered the principles also applied to my prayer life as well.

Click to tweet:
The beautiful gift of allowing the Lord into our resolution planning is that it comes without burden or pressure to make it happen in isolation. #catholicmom

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“For nothing will be impossible for God.” (Luke 1:37)

The beautiful gift of allowing the Lord into our resolution planning is that it comes without burden or pressure to make it happen in isolation. When we are empowered to choose the One who makes the impossible possible, then we are already on the victorious side of our desired efforts to enhance certain aspects of our lives. No longer are we set up to fight against ourselves but instead we can be amazed at what can be accomplished with the Lord as our source of strength.

As we start to soak in the grace from the badges we’ve already received by virtue of our Confirmation—that include wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—we are strengthened with a resolve that is beyond us. For truly, these types of badges will take us much further than we ourselves or any app ever could.

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