New Year’s Resolutions and Goals

It’s that time of year again sisters! Yup! Where we will spend time reflecting back on 2014, hoping to gain insight into what didn’t work, where we failed and how we can do something different in 2015.

Did you know the practice of making New Year’s resolutions dates back to over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians? Probably not. But now that you have this little tidbit of information, it might give you cause to stop and think why we so often fail each year. I mean, how many years have you vowed to lose weight or save money, yet your funds are still low and your weight is still high?

Most of us were taught the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions in our childhood. My family traditions were you cooked a pot of collard greens to insure financial prosperity. Made sure your house was thoroughly clean and all laundry done. Why? You never wanted to start the New Year off being behind in chores—especially loads of dirty clothes. You also needed a pot of black-eyed peas for good luck! On New Year’s Day we would go to my aunt’s house and eat all that good food she had cooked, and that was to make sure you started your year off hanging out with family. And after we ate, we played some of the new board games we received for Christmas.

As I look back, my family traditions were laced with superstitions and plain foolishness. But they were fun family times and my aunt Gigi was the best cook ever—well, next to Nana!

I’m sure some of you have your own fond memories of New Year’s Day and family traditions and resolutions. But now that we are in Christ, we must continuously move forward in being more like Him. And that means, letting go of old things and putting on the new.

The top resolutions made every year are, losing weight and getting fit, to quit smoking and drinking, get out of debt, save money and spend more time with family. And as Christians we add stuff like, read the Bible every day, attend church more consistently, and start tithing. Now these are all good goals to set, but they are all in relation to physical things. And therein lies the problem.

Many of us have long replaced the word resolutions with goals. Yes, we think it looks better coming from a Christian. But if what we desire to change or achieve is not Christ-centered, it doesn’t matter what you call it or how you slice it—we’ve set ourselves up for failure.

First we need to ask ourselves the why to our motivation. “Why do I want to lose weight?”

Has your doctor warned that if you don’t slim down you will have major health problems down the road? Are you buying into the hype of this world, on how you should look? Do you not like yourself and think that losing weight will change that for you? Or are you ready to get to the root of the hold that food has over you?

Are you going to try to read your Bible everyday because it’s what your Pastor keeps telling you to do? Or do you really want to know God better?

Why do you want to straighten out your finances? Is it to clean up your FICO score and save money so that you will be eligible for a mortgage on your dream house or a fancy car that screams, “Look at me!” Or is it to be able to help advance the gospel of the Kingdom of God and those in need?

Do you want to stop smoking because people have guilted you into it, because, “Christians shouldn’t smoke?” Or you realize it is not good for you and a waste of money?

Spending more time with family—is that your idea, or another guilt trip to deal with? Or do you stay away from your family because they cause you problems?

Reading our Bibles and spending time with God every day, is a must if we want to grow in our understanding of who He is, what He expects of us and how we are to live. It’s not complicated.

Smoking, being overweight and drinking in a way that is harmful to our bodies is things we should desire to change. But the reason should be because our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And we were bought at a price and are to glorify God in our body and spirit which now belongs to Him. If we really don’t understand this, then we more than likely have the wrong motivation for change.

Bottom line—everything we do, needs to be Christ-centered if we have any hope of making lasting change.

There is nothing magical about going from December 31^st to January 1^st! None whatsoever, so why wait almost a month to do something that will glorify God?

Let us agree with our brother James and ask God for wisdom to see what we need to start doing differently.

James says that if we ask, God will give it to us and won’t be stingy about it at all! And then we can campout on the words of King Solomon for awhile, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

See, what I have learned even the more this year, is that trusting God is the key. We can trust Him with anything—but we must seek and pursue Him in order to receive all His benefits and develop this trust.

Sisters, there is no need for New Year’s Resolutions in the life of a Believer—ever! All we need is to study our Bibles and agree with God. 

P.S. But if you have a family tradition of setting around and discussing what you plan for the New Year and don’t want to come off all holy, holy…then make it something like, “To wear high(er) heels more often!” Not! LOL!

Until next week,

Love and Hugs

Ponnie