Should Christians Make New Year Resolutions?

It’s the beginning of yet another year! Should Christians be making resolutions to take them through the year?

I think they should. In fact, resolutions can deepen your walk with Jesus and bring you on a grace-filled journey this year.

As each new year rolls around, I like taking some time with my Bible and getting alone with the Lord. I take the next 365 days very seriously as I look blindly ahead into the next year.

There is no way I can do this on my own. I desperately need the Lord Jesus Christ to go with me on my grace-filled journey. And that is exactly what it is because I am full of bumbling mishaps waiting to happen!

My resolutions are all wrapped up in One Word that sums everything up that God wants to do in my life. I’ll reveal what my word is tomorrow.

Do You Make Resolutions?

I’d really love to know!

I know that making resolutions can be a meaningless list of goals that are impossible to reach.

Instead, what I am asking if you make resolutions that will modify the way you act into:

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

Character for the glory of Jesus Christ?

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. The things mentioned in this verse are how I want to pray that you live and how I want to live.

Pray always for you
God would count you worthy of this calling
Fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness
That your life would show faith and power
That the name of the Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified in you
And you would be glorified in the Lord Jesus Christ
According to grace . . .

Grace. It takes the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ to live out those two verses!

That is why most people make resolutions and they just don’t work.

When you are not living for God’s glory, even if you were totally successful, it really isn’t going to work at all.

What are Christian Resolutions?

I think that Christian resolutions should be Christ-exalting.

They should draw you closer to Jesus as you live each day.

And . . . your life should point to Christ.

That means that you would learn to be Christ-exalting.

That doesn’t mean that you know how to live that way to perfection right now. It is by grace that you will learn in the coming year to live a little bit more like Christ.

Being 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

Are you a mom of littles? Walk worthy of His calling.

Are you a homeschool mom? Walk worthy of His calling.

Are you in college? Walk worthy of His calling.

Do you work at home or in your community? Walk worthy of His calling.

Wherever you are is where God has planted you. That is where God wants you to bloom this year while you learn to walk worthy of His calling.

You may have had changes in your family through birth, kids reaching adolescence, divorce, or your spouse passing away. You might have to learn to walk a little differently with Jesus this coming year.

Jesus has you in mind. He cares infinitely more about you than anyone else.

Make your resolutions for the coming year with grace, allowing some breathing room for the season that God has placed you in.

And . . .

Come back tomorrow to read how I compiled my resolutions to be summed up in One Word.

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