It’s basic. Everyone wants to be better, do better, look better, feel better. But when we look back at 2018 and our grand resolutions, we see missteps, unfulfilled goals, or outright failures. So at the front end of a new year we hunker down and grit our teeth and set resolutions and goals for a new year.
But by the end of 2019, we’ll go through the same ritual. Why do resolutions seem like a self-defeating habit?
If you are a Christian, what makes you different is your relationship with Christ. So, what is distinctive in your faith that informs the way you approach change and growth? In other words, anyone, Christian or not, can set resolutions and pursue change, often successfully. But when a Christian does it, approaching those resolutions should reflect a biblical grasp of our new nature in Christ. You may not have different goals than anyone else, but you should have a better grasp of the reason for those goals and how to fulfill those resolutions.
So as you start 2019, how can you apply a biblical worldview to making the changes that will truly make a difference? The key is to partner with God. When you set resolutions for 2019, partner with God for successful change in the new year. Here’s some pointers along with resolutions that you can apply:
- Cultivate a biblical worldview about yourself. What you do follows how you think. The Bible is so clear on this it almost sounds redundant (Prov. 4:23; Rom. 6:11,12:1-3; Col. 3:2 for starters).
I resolve to think of myself biblically, to study His Word, and to set my mind on the things of God.
- Make resolutions to honor God, not to exalt yourself. Plan to succeed as a steward of the life He has given you (Col. 3:17). For instance, true fitness results from a desire to be a good steward of the body God has given you (1 Cor. 6:19-20), not because you want to have six-pack abs.
I resolve to honor God in my life and not seek to exalt myself.
- Rely on God’s power to fulfill your resolutions. Pray when you set your resolutions and pray when you undertake them. Ask for God’s help. Partner with God in prayer and let Him work through you (John 15:7, 1 John 3:22).
I resolve to seek God’s power to improve my life and not to rely on myself.
- Focus on God’s purpose for you. God is always most interested in character change, not outward tasks. Most resolutions assume that improvement is the same thing as growth. But God wants to change you and to make you more like Christ. Improving your behavior results from growing in Christ, not just changing your schedule (1 Cor. 11:1; 1 John 2:6).
I resolve to let God change me and make me more like Christ. I agree with God that what I do results from who I am.
- Keep the past in perspective. Don’t let the past dictate the future. Maybe 2018 was a year to remember or one you would rather desperately forget. In Christ, you always have hope. So leave 2018 and look ahead. We all suffer loss, disappointment, failure and pain, but in Christ we have hope. Each day is a new day. That is not just a positive-thinking platitude. It is a biblical truth (Is. 43:18-19)!
I resolve not to dwell on the past, not to let my failures be an anchor that holds me back, but to move forward into 2019 with hope and anticipation for what God will do!
- Keep the future in focus. Remember to keep the long look in mind. Life is a distance race, not a dash. A core principle in the Bible is that true growth and change result from hard work and discipline, not the pursuit of immediate gratification. Focus on the future outcome of today’s discipline rather than immediate gratification (Prov. 21:5; Phil. 1:6).
I resolve to be focused on long-term outcomes and not to be discouraged by short-term setbacks.
- Remember that no real growth or change happens accidentally. We must be intentional. If we do not plan to succeed, we will hover at best or crash at worst. Your spiritual growth is no different. The only way to fulfill resolutions, biblical or not, is to intentionally plan to do so. So partner with God, and get with it (Prov. 16:3)!
I resolve to start today, make a plan, commit that to God, and to partner with Him to make me more like Christ in 2019!