A new year. Time for a fresh start. Making New Year’s resolutions can be a powerful tool for spiritual growth for those who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior.* The process of making resolutions begins our year in humility before God, acknowledging that we still have room to grow and demonstrating our willingness to allow Him to shape us. The daily struggle to keep our resolutions reminds us of our utter dependence on God for strength and wisdom. Then looking back as the next year rolls around prompts us to give glory to God for His faithfulness and never-ending love as He worked in our lives.
How to Make Godly Resolutions
If you’ve been discouraged in the past by failing to live up to your resolutions, choose only one or two areas to focus on this year. Learn these lessons well so that you can build on them in the coming years. Use the following tips to develop your resolutions:
- REVIEW. Ask God to reveal areas of consistent sin or neglect in your life. As you pray, review your life in the light of God’s Word. Where do you fall short?
- REPENT. Confess your sin, giving control of that area of your life to God.
- RESOLVE. Resolve before God that you will be faithful to glorify Him in this area of your life this year, realizing that only by His grace can you succeed.
- RECORD. Write down your resolutions and refer to them frequently throughout the year.
How to Keep Resolutions
Keeping New Year’s resolutions requires daily attention. Trusting in our own power, we easily get discouraged and accept failure. Each day surrender your will to God’s, acknowledge the commitment you made, and allow His Spirit to fill you. If you falter, don’t give up. Confess your failure to God and resolve anew to grow in this area of your life. Begin again where you are, not looking back but pressing on “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Rely on God for the strength to follow through, and you can experience victory!
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
My New Year’s Resolutions
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*If you have never accepted Christ as your personal Savior, now is the perfect time! Talk to a Christian friend or the pastor of a local church to learn how to begin your new life with Christ.