It’s that time of the year again. Many people, in the spirit of the season, will be making resolutions. Usually these are focused on the physical or improving the mind, such as exercising or reading more books. While nothing is wrong with these goals, most of the time they prove difficult to maintain.
But I wonder, how often do we make resolutions for our spiritual lives?
Here are six words from Philippians 4:4-9 that can help you keep your resolutions doable and memorable this year.
1) REJOICE
Don’t just limit your praise to the Christmas season. We can rejoice over Jesus every day of the year. Because of God’s love and grace we will never run out of things to praise Him for. (vs. 4)
2) EXPECT
The little phrase, ‘The Lord is near” gives us hope. What could be better than to live each day of this New Year expecting Jesus’ return! (vs. 5)
3) PREPARE
If we want to look fearlessly into the future we have to reject fear, doubt and worry, instead trusting in the One who holds the future. A life prepared with prayer is a life centered on God. (vs. 6)
4) TRUST
The future can be a scary place. It’s hard to face tomorrow when today is a challenge. But with God we don’t have to fear. We can trust God because He will give us the peace needed to face the New Year. (vs. 7)
5) THINK
What we think about determines what we do. By focusing on the good things God has done in our lives we will see God at work in our lives throughout the coming year. (vs. 8)
6) PRACTICE
As a Christian we are not only supposed to read, think and plan, but we are supposed to live active, obedient and involved lives. The old adage, “practice what you preach” is more than just words; it’s a way of life. It’s not enough to know what to do; Christ is calling us to get involved in the world around us. (vs. 9)
If the idea of making, and keeping, this year’s resolutions seems a bit daunting, change it up. Instead of focusing on the physical or the mental, focus on the spiritual. Make the coming New Year both doable and memorable by focusing on these six words. Write them on cards and post them around your house as a reminder that with God, all things are possible.
Happy New Year!