New Year's Resolutions
Principles from the Bible on New Year's Resolutions
Setting New Year's resolutions is a tradition that goes back quite a ways. What insight can the Bible give on this practice?
When setting resolutions for the New Year or goals any time of the year, keep these biblical principles in mind:
1. Seek GOD
Resolutions naturally flow from our priorities. Consider whether your typical goals reflect your actual priorities? And most importantly, are your priorities in concert with your faith in and submission to God - or are they in conflict with that faith?
In Matthew 6, Jesus is recorded as saying that we should "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Materialism has long supplanted this tendency in western society. Most people are more concerned about their bank account than their prayer life and church attendance. Are you seeking after God in all that you do?
Matthew also spends a great deal of time recording Jesus' warnings against anxiety and worry. The King James Version of the Bible translates this anxiety simply as "thought," but the context makes clear the kind of thoughts Jesus is concerned with. Do you find yourself stressed out about the cares of life? If so, Jesus says the key to overcoming stress and obtaining peace is keep our focus on God -- and not on the storms around us.
2. Ask God for Wisdom
Planning for the future and setting goals require wisdom. In fact, that essentially describes the practicality of wisdom. Wisdom has a broader meaning, of course, but a wise person will know (or at least have a better idea concerning) the right decision(s) to make.
Proverbs tells us that the "fear of the Lord" is the "beginning of wisdom," and James writes that anyone who lacks wisdom should "ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally."
3. Think CONTEXT!
Context is key. A person voting in the United States of America, for example, should see himself or herself as a citizen in a country with a rich tradition - and should know what that tradition includes and means. It is a travesty that there are Americans voting today who have never read the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution. In fact, it isn't enough just to read them. You must know and understand them. Abraham Lincoln once said that all of his political views sprung from the Declaration of Independence. That's context.
The same is true for goal-setting. What is your context? Do you see yourself according to your occupation or aspirations? What is your identity? What is your purpose?
In his bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren explains (correctly) that life is NOT about us! You should NOT be living simply for yourself. You are here on planet earth for a much more significant purpose than that.
Your resolutions and goals for the future therefore should reflect your identity as a creation of God given responsibilities and duties by your Creator. Within that framework, you should set your goals.
So....best of luck to you as you embark on your resolutions and goals for 2007. And Happy New Year!
