The new year is here and many, if not all of us, want to improve ourselves by making small to large changes in our lives, typically staring with an activity and/or attitude adjustment. Hence, the New Year’s resolution.
The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. There is just something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. In reality, there is no difference between December 31st and January 1st, or 2nd or 31st. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31st that enables you to make changes in your life.
The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. However, if a Christian determines to make a New Year’s resolution, what kind of resolution should he or she make?
Common New Year’s resolutions can be commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, and to spend more time with family. By far, the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating a more healthy diet. These are all good goals to consider. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical improvement. Maybe that’s not where our focus should be.
Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honor God, bolster your faith and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself or impress someone?
Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has a chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. Your attitude is critical in any hoped for change.
It’s probably not worth bothering with resolutions if you start out assuming you’re going to fail — because that’s exactly what you’ll end up doing. Make sure your resolutions are realistic. Many New Year’s resolutions aren’t “resolutions” at all; they’re only vague dreams or wishes. Don’t focus on self-centered goals; focus instead on what God wants to do in your life. Above all, make sure of your commitment to Christ — and if He means little to you, why not begin the new year by giving “all” of your life to Him?
So, what sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make? Here are some suggestions: (1) pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make; (2) pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you; (3) rely on God’s strength to help you; (4) find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you; (5) don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead, allow them to motivate you further; (6) don’t become proud or vain, but give God the glory. Psalm 37:5-6 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
Above all resolutions you can make... resolve to become more and more like Christ during the coming year. The above six specifics can help you on your journey to Christian maturity.
This, after all, is God’s will for every one of His followers. The Bible says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Every day we are tempted to forget God and live for ourselves, but God’s will is for us to become more and more like His Son. And this happens as we stay close to Christ and allow His Spirit to change us and renew us from within. When we submit our hearts and lives to Christ, the Bible says we will be “transformed into his likeness … which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
What does it mean to be like Christ? First, it means to be like Him in His behavior–rejecting sin, living pure and godly lives, and sharing His love with others. It also means to be like Him in our character–in love and peace and patience, and in all the other fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).
For all Christians, the start of a new year is a good time to stop and look at our lives — and that’s the first step in making any realistic resolutions. What needs to be improved in our lives? What needs to be eliminated — or added? Most of all, what does God see when He looks at me, and what does He want me to do — with His help? The Bible says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
GROW and PROSPER in the Lord... in 2014!
