Josiah Road

New Commitment

posted by Kaylan Christopher 1Jan

As a single girl, I’ve lived by myself, making my independent way in the world, for the last five years since I graduated from college.

I recently decided I needed to leave my spinster-in-the-making ways behind and start a fresh adventure. So I moved in with two other girls into a comfortable three-bedroom house.

In my excitement, I didn’t realize that this would cause me to do some serious self-evaluation of how I had been living the past few years. My move gave me a whole new understanding of the verse: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

It’s true. I’ve added a brand-new New Year’s resolution to my list. This isn’t something I chose to include; I was forced before I had the option to back out.

I’ve been made to sacrifice my privacy, and share my possessions and my time with my new roommates. I’ve had to be more considerate and mindful of their feelings, time, and stuff. I’ve actually had to stop thinking about myself and put them first.

It’s funny how God puts you in situations where you are made to realize and understand things you never saw before in yourself. All of a sudden I was faced with this new issue I never knew existed before in my life. As a result, I had to deal with it and change my ways.

I’ve made a new commitment to become less self-centered and more God- and people-centered. These moments of self-realization make me wonder what else I’m blinded from understanding about the person I am and/or should be in Christ.

How many times do I miss what God is trying to teach me? How often do I ignore the Holy Spirit because I’m too comfortable? And how much do I put myself before Jesus when I don’t even know it?

I think it’s something we all need to think about as we start a new year.