Wow, it has been a year since first posting this article. So hard to believe we are into another new year already. I wanted to take the time to again thank those of you that follow this site and read the postings. I certainly appreciate each of you for taking the time to do so. If you agree with what I write or not I am glad you are here. I feel we are each entitled to make our own choices without someone condemning us or trying to force a particular view on us.
At this time of year a lot of people take time to reflect and make new year’s resolutions, wanting to make changes and do things better. The new year is like a fresh start, a new beginning
For me, I stopped making resolutions. First and mainly because I never keep them. Like most of us making a resolution to do better makes sense. We want to better ourselves and do better in our life, yet like most people a few days into the new year and the resolutions have been forgotten.
Usually that makes people feel a little guilty. We want to do better yet we so quickly fall flat on our face with our resolutions.
As I thought about this I realized that trying to better ourselves in one sense is not a bad thing. When we want to spend more time with family, be better parents, be a better friend and treat people better, that is not a bad thing at all.
Spiritually speaking from a christian viewpoint new year’s resolutions are not needed. Christ made all things new when he fulfilled the law at his death. When he arose a New Covenant went into effect, a covenant of grace.
We no longer need to try to do better, to do more for him, to be better christians. He did everything that was needed to make us new creatures in Him. Because of his work we are holy and righteous, we are kings and priests, our old sin nature was crucified with him and we no longer need to make resolutions to do better.
In one sense each day is a new beginning for us, and his mercies are new every morning. Yet as far as our life in Him goes, each day is a day living in the Kingdom of God. Each day is a continuation of the previous day living as one with God. We as God’s house are now one with Him just as Christ prayed, that we might be one as he and the Father are one.
So spiritually speaking, let’s not get caught up in the guilty feelings we have with new year’s resolutions and trying to do better for him. Nothing wrong with doing good works out of love for God and by the power of the Spirit, yet remember to rest in him knowing he has done all the work and all that is necessary for us to live pleasing to him. Let’s enjoy each new day as a day the Lord has made and rejoice and be glad in it. Live each day in the power of the Holy Spirit, showing God’s love and acceptance to all we meet during the day.
I don’t make resolutions either. I do make goals for myself throughout the year. I find it helps me focus and gives me something to strive for. I think a lot of people who make New Years resolutions make unreasonable, unattainable goals and it ends up hurting them more than help.
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I agree, nothing wrong with setting goals but resolutions just don’t usually work. I think January is always the fitness resolution month and I haven’t even been able to keep up with that one,lol.
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Thanks, Jim. Encouraging as always! Bless you! It’s hard not to make resolutions cos we fail so much and want so much to do better than we did before. But, of course, it’s all a waste if it’s not done in Him and thru Him and by Him. I guess it is reminding ourselves of this constantly that will help us to live in Him day by day and hour by hour.
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Thank you jem, good comment.
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