New Year’s Resolutions?
By Pastor Josh Wamble
I wonder how many of you made New Year’s resolutions for 2023. People have different feelings about resolutions. Some people like to start a new year off with commitments and resolutions—often involving exercise, or eating differently, or getting up earlier/going to bed earlier, or etc. Other people do not value making resolutions at all. They look at the situation practically and realize that most of the resolutions that are made are broken within the first couple of months if not the first few weeks or even days of the new year. I heard someone say recently, “My resolution for 2023 is to finish the things I started in 2022 because in 2021, I made a commitment to reach the goals I set in 2020 after falling short of them in 2019.”
There are a variety of thoughts about making resolutions, but periodic evaluation and setting goals in life is a healthy practice. In Joshua 24, Joshua has reached the end of his life and is giving his final challenge to the Hebrew people. He will no longer be around to lead them as they begin settling the promised Land. He knows that they will be tempted to acquiesce to their cultures, their lifestyles, and even their gods and religious practices. Joshua charges them to make a commitment now that when they take possession of the Promised Land, they will not fall into these temptations.
In Josh. 24:25-28, after the people committed themselves to remembering the Lord and serving him only, Joshua set up a stone as a memorial. He meant for this to be a reminder to them of their decision and commitment. As they continued in life after Joshua’s death, whether they were faithful to the Lord or not, this memorial would, hopefully, remind them of that commitment. If they were faithful, it would serve as an encouragement to them. If they did not remain faithful, it would (hopefully) serve as an indictment against them leading them to repent and turn back to the Lord.
These kinds of reminders and “signposts” or “road markers” in life can be helpful for everyone but especially for believers. At certain points in life, it is healthy to look back, and evaluate, and make adjustments. Birthdays are a good time to do this—look back over the past year and make honest assessments about how your life is going and changes or adjustments that might need to be made. Major life changes (weddings, births, moving to a new house or new city, taking a new job or promotion, etc.) lend themselves to this type of evaluation. Anniversaries and other annual events are a good opportunity for that as well.
Whether you make “official” new year’s resolutions or not, let me encourage you to take some time over the next few days as we begin a new year to make this type of evaluation. Maybe you want to look at your life in general, finances, health, relationships, or other things. Let me also encourage you to do this specifically with your relationship with God, your commitment to him, your church involvement, and other religious categories. Below is a short list of areas to consider.
1. Bible
Would you take some time and evaluate the time and effort you spend in reading and studying the bible? Do you have a deliberate plan for reading and studying the bible or do you just do so sporadically and when you can “find the time”? In John 17:17, Jesus prays that his followers (us included) would be sanctified in the truth. Then, he says that God’s word is truth. The Bible is what God uses to mold his people into the people that he would have us to be—righteous, gracious, merciful, humble, Christlike.
Many people make resolutions to read through the bible in the new year. Maybe you are one of those. (If so, there are links to several different plans to do just that at the end of this blog post.) But, maybe that seems too ambitious to you. You could decide to read either the OT or NT this year. You could commit to reading the whole bible in 3 years or 5 years. You could decide to read one book of the bible several times in the year (maybe once a month) and get really familiar with that book. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time in God’s word and how you might expand that in this new year?
2. Prayer
Would you take some time and evaluate your prayer life? In several of his letters, Paul says that he prays constantly. Hopefully you do as well. Hopefully, you are always praying whenever things come up in life or whenever people or situations come to mind. I want to challenge you to commit to prayer in an even more systematic way this year.
Maybe you can commit to more consistently praying with your church family (on Wednesday nights, on Sunday mornings at 9:00, or monthly at the men’s and women’s prayer breakfasts). Maybe you can commit to praying through the church’s prayer list daily during the week. Maybe you can commit to using the church’s directory as a prayer guide and pray for all the members of the church on a schedule that works for you (monthly, once every 2 months, etc.). Maybe you can commit to praying for your pastors and deacons and other church staff. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time in prayer and how you might expand that in this new year?
3. Encouragement
Would you take some time and evaluate how you encourage other believers? In Hebrews 10, God’s word tells us to consider how we might stir one another up to love and good deeds. One of the lines in our church covenant says, “We will seek to gather regularly to worship God, listen to the preaching of the word, and encourage one another.” I wonder if you ever spend time considering how you might be an encouragement to other believers—especially other church members.
Maybe you could encourage other members by attending church more consistently. Hebrews 10 also says, one of the ways we can stir one another up to love and good works is “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another . . .” Maybe you could take some time each week to send notes or cards of encouragement to other church members. Maybe you could join a Sunday School class or other bible study group and encourage others as you fellowship and study the bible together. Maybe you could encourage other church members by serving together in different ministries of the church. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time encouraging other believers and how you might expand that in this new year?
Again, whether you make “official” new year’s resolutions or not, let me encourage you to take some time over the next few days as we begin a new year to evaluate yourself, your life, and your relationship with God. May God use our individual commitments regarding the bible, prayer, and encouragement to make us more Christ-like followers and to strengthen and sanctify our church collectively over the next 12 months!
Bible Reading Plans
1. Robert Murray M’Cheyne bible in a year reading plan—https://www.mcheyne.info/calendar.pdf
2. Read through the whole bible in a year—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/old-testament-and-new-testament.html
3. Read through the whole bible in a year chronologically—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/chronological.html
4. Read through the whole bible in a year arranged by the bible’s storyline—https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/15998 (This one can be done individually or online with friends)
5. Read through the bible in a year one book at a time—https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/navigators-book-at-a-time-bible-reading-plan.pdf
6. Read through the NT in a year—https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/navigators-5x5x5-new-testament-bible-reading-plan.pdf
7. Read through the bible in two years—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/busy-life-plan.html
