Even Better

It’s the week of New Year’s resolutions.

It is that time of year … the introductory week of the 51 other weeks that follow … when we are all determined to change whatever has been holding us back from living a life of vitality … of strength … and of purpose.

Out with the old … in with the new!

Out with the bad … in with self-discipline!

Out with weakness … in with resolve!

We foolishly think that no more overspending … no more overeating … no more gossiping … no more wasting time playing games on one’s phone … will solve every reason why we are only living half a life.

“Stop it!”

“Don’t do it!”

“Enough already!”

Those are the three phrases that seem to be on everyone’s mind during the first week of January.

I have a different idea for all of us this year … in 2023.

It’s a fresh approach … a novel plan … even an energetic way to tackle this incredible gift of 365 brand-new days that we have been given.

What about this …

Instead of creating a brand new life that is void of all of past weaknesses … why don’t we all just think about adding incredible and beneficial good things to our lives?

Rather than focusing on all that is wrong with us … why not celebrate all that is good about us?

You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders in 2022 … it’s not up to you to solve the political divide in America … or strive for world peace … or be the catalyst that fixes a failing economy.

You just have to be you … and contribute your goodness to the world.

Now that’s a New Year’s resolution that I can applaud!

What if we were determined to evaluate what we did well in 2022 … and then do those very things even better in 2023?

If you enjoy working in the church nursery … and know that you are a blessing to the babies and the mamas …, then work an extra Sunday every month!

If you know that you are a good cook and enjoy having people in your home … then do it twice as often as you did it in 2022.

If you enjoy sending birthday cards … and get-well cards … and anniversary cards … and “I’m thinking about you” cards to friends and family members …, then add more names to your list of burgeoning addresses.

If you know that you have been called to be a prayer warrior that heaven applauds and hell fears … then spend more time on your knees in the exciting throne room of God Almighty!

I once saw a documentary that was made on the business philosophy of Disneyworld.

This ten-minute film was meant to showcase all the reasons why Disneyworld has been such a phenomenal success year after year after year.

The footage closed with Walt Disney himself.

In the final minute of the very inspiriting piece of business acumen, Walt Disney told his employees, “There are receptacles all across Disneyworld where our guests can place their comments. At the end of every day, I want you to throw away all of the criticism and read only the encouragement that our guests have given. Then, I want you to figure out a way to do what we do well even better! Let’s accentuate the positive! I want you to make Disneyworld a place of unsurpassed excellence simply because we know what we are good at and we keep improving that!”

Perhaps Walt Disney’s words should be our guiding light during these early days of 2023.

I dare you to figure out what you are good at … and then do that even better!

If the employees at Disneyworld can do it for mere human beings who spend 10 hours at “the happiest place on earth” … then certainly, we, as God’s ambassadors, can do it to honor Him and to serve His people.

Take a rare assessment of your strengths and choose to ignore your weaknesses.

Then, make your strengths even stronger and see what kind of year awaits you in 2023!

If you will approach this glorious year of 2023 in this spectacular manner … you will be so occupied living in your sweet spot that your weaknesses will no longer be on display!

Take it from Walt Disney and me… “Make your life a place of unsurpassed excellence simply because you know what you are good at … and then keep doing that one thing even better!”

There is a mountain of goodness in you that the world is waiting for! Do one good thing every day this year, and watch your mountain grow!

“Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord Himself and not merely for others. For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yahweh, the Anointed One!” – Colossians 3:23 & 24 – TP

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Carol McLeod Ministries

Featured Image by Fiete Becher from Pixabay

About the Author

Carol McLeod is a best-selling author and popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol is a prolific author and loves digging for truth in the Word of God. Carol writes a weekly blog, “Joy For the Journey,” that has been named in the Top 50 Faith Blogs for Women. Carol also writes a weekly column for “Ministry Today.” Carol has been married to her college sweetheart, Craig, for 41 years and is the mother of five children in heaven and five children on earth. Graduates of Oral Roberts University, Craig and Carol have spent the past 38 years pastoring churches across America.

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