April 17, 2023 | Christian Life by Candi Powers
New Year’s Resolutions? I can’t even remember what they were.
Several months have passed in 2023. The time has gone quickly and now is when thoughts turn to summer, vacations, pools, and time off from school. Reflecting on the year—and the resolutions or goals you made—may seem like a far-off memory. Perhaps most didn’t even make it through the first few weeks. Instead of giving up on all those well-intentioned thoughts for the future, here are four helpful suggestions for moving forward.
Remember the purpose of a resolution.
What is the point of a resolution in the first place? Resolutions help provide motivation and discernment for what’s important. They draw us to remember the past year and see what personal changes need to be made for the next one. So even if none of your goals are close to completion, striving for them is still good. Why? Because as 1 Corinthians 10:31 talks about, we can do everything for the glory of God.
Remember, It’s not always about keeping your goals perfectly. Sometimes it’s about working toward them that’s helpful. The most important purpose for a resolution should be growing in godliness. That doesn’t mean goals apart from Bible reading and prayer aren’t helpful because godliness and sanctification touch every area of life. Helpful goals push us to grow and change to be more like Jesus and bring Him more glory.
Reevaluate your goals and renew your commitment to the most important things.
It’s good to look back at past goals and assess if they are still worth pursuing. Are they things that push you toward godliness, such as Scripture memory and prayer? These things are worth multiple energetic attempts. Are they related to things like exercise, eating, or finances that allow you to steward your God-given resources in a way that brings Him more glory? Those are worthwhile pursuits as well.
As you reassess the goals it is possible that you will find some not worth pursuing anymore because they’re not a priority. Are they things you wanted for the moment, but those desires faded? Are they things that would take too much time and energy away from more important things? Ask yourself if these goals are still important and if they’re important for the right reasons.
Another question to ask about your goals is if they’re reasonable. Impossible goals are discouraging. Did you set goals so far from your reach that you knew you couldn’t succeed before you even tried? Setting goals that allow you to grow slowly over time is often more helpful because they bring more sustainable change. As you evaluate your resolutions in light of these questions, are there any goals you may need to let go of because they are unimportant or unreasonable?
Remember how God looks at us when we fail.
Failure in achieving a goal can tempt us to give up and allow that failure to define our identity. Failure in one area can lead to thoughts of overall failure. Is this how Jesus handles our failures? Of course not. God knows that every person is broken and sinful, choosing to rebel against Him. God sent His son Jesus to die for humanity, even with the knowledge of our failures. He loves people and has good plans for them. He is patient and kind and gives us identity and salvation that isn’t rooted in our successes but in His own. There is rest, peace, and security without the need for performance. So as you look at your failures, do you let them define and discourage you? Or are you finding your peace and security in Christ, which gives you the stability to continue pushing and taking risks for God’s glory and sanctification?
Ask God for help and consistency.
Lack of success sometimes brings renewed efforts. This is a good thing, but it can also be bad when you fully depend on your efforts to make progress. This is a helpful reminder that God must be present and working for any change to occur. If the goal of our resolutions is lasting change, ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart to bring it about. He is the One who must do it. Pray that God will give you strength, motivation, self-control, and endurance. Ask that He would root out sin and replace it with His righteousness. Consistently spend time in His Word, allowing it to wash and cleanse your heart and mind. Just like in salvation, He has to do the work of sanctification and enduring progress.
At the beginning of each year, it is good to put thought into areas where you can aspire to greater holiness and bring the Lord more glory. Don’t let perceived failure in those areas stop you from those aspirations.
- Remember why you made goals in the first place.
- Re-evaluate, renew, or adapt them to better fit where you are now.
- Redefine your perspective from success or failure to gradual progress, patience, and grace.
- Depend on the Spirit because He is the only lasting agent of change.
Don’t give up on your goals from January. Pull them back out and look again at how God could use them in your life for His greater glory.
