Should Christians Make New Year Resolutions?

Do you make resolutions to take you through the new year? Let’s look at how making resolutions can deepen your walk with Jesus.

As another year draws to a close, many Christians wonder whether they should make resolutions for the year ahead.

I believe they should!

Resolutions, when rooted in faith, can deepen our walk with Jesus and guide us on a grace-filled journey.

Each year, I set aside time to be alone with Jesus and my Bible.

The next 365 days stretch before me like a path I cannot yet see, and I take this time seriously.

I know I can’t navigate this journey on my own—I desperately need the Lord Jesus Christ to walk with me every step of the way. And truthfully, my journey is always filled with unexpected detours and bumbling mishaps!

That’s why my resolutions are wrapped up in a single word—One Word—that captures what God is pressing on my heart for the year ahead. Tomorrow, I’ll reveal the word He’s given me this year.

What about you? Do you choose a word or set resolutions to draw closer to Jesus in the new year?

Do You Make Resolutions?

I’d love to know—do you make resolutions for the new year?

I realize that resolutions can sometimes feel like a meaningless list of unreachable goals. But that’s not what I’m talking about.

What if, instead of setting goals we struggle to keep, we made resolutions that transformed the way we live—resolutions that shape our hearts and actions to be:

• Christ-exalting
• God-centered
• Spirit-dependent
• Bible-saturated
• Gospel-rooted
• Truth-tethered
• Soul-satisfying
• Sin-killing
• Self-sacrificing

Resolutions that shape our character for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Now that is the kind of resolution that truly matters.

Do you set resolutions like these? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Living for God’s Glory

“Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
— 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

This is how I want to live this year. This is my prayer for you and myself—rooted in His grace, shaped by His calling.

• That we would pray always for one another.
• That God would count us worthy of His calling.
• That He would fulfill His good pleasure in our lives.
• That our lives would be marked by faith and power.
• That the name of the Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified in us.
• And that we would be glorified in Him.

All according to grace.

Because grace—God’s unmeasured, undeserved, and overflowing grace—is the only way we can live out these verses.

This is also why so many resolutions fail. If we’re not living for God’s glory, even the most successful plans will ultimately fall short.

But when we live by grace, seeking His glory, our lives become more than just a list of goals. They become a reflection of Jesus Christ Himself.

So as we step into this year, let’s not chase after resolutions that don’t last. Let’s live for the One who does.

What are Christian Resolutions?

Christian resolutions should be Christ-exalting—not just empty goals, but commitments that draw us closer to Jesus each day.

Our lives should point to Christ.

That means learning to live in a way that exalts Him—not perfectly, but progressively. None of us know how to do this flawlessly, but by grace, we grow.

With each passing year, step by step, we learn to reflect Jesus a little more. And that is the kind of resolution that truly matters.

Made Worthy of His Calling

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”
— Ephesians 4:1

No matter where you are in life, walk worthy of His calling.

• Are you a mom of littles? Walk worthy.
• Are you a homeschool mom? Walk worthy.
• Or a college student? Walk worthy.
• Working at home or in your community? Walk worthy.

Wherever God has placed you, that is where He wants you to bloom this year. That is where He is shaping you as you learn to walk worthy of His calling.

Seasons change.

Maybe your family has grown through birth, or you’re navigating the challenges of adolescence.

Maybe you’ve faced loss—through divorce, the passing of a spouse, or other unexpected transitions.

Whatever this year holds, you may find yourself walking a little differently with Jesus.

But here’s the beautiful truth—Jesus has you in mind. He cares for you infinitely more than anyone else ever could.

As you step into the new year, make your resolutions with grace—allowing space to grow, to breathe, to embrace the season God has placed you in.

And…

Come back tomorrow as I share how I’ve summed up my resolutions into One Word that defines my year.

How can Jesus be glorified in you this year through resolutions that reflect Christ?

How can Jesus be glorified in you this year through resolutions that reflect Christ?