With every New Year comes a slew of New Year's resolutions from millions of people around the world. Coming from the word "resolve," each resolution we make is birthed from a resolve to make things better, to achieve greater heights, and reach longer distances.
For Christians, the resolutions we make should be based on what the Lord wants us to be and to do. While single Christians are advised to be the best they can be for Christ while unmarried, Christian couples will do well to reach for the things that God wants in any Godly marriage.
A Christian's New Year resolution, then, should become a faith goal - some goal that we strive to reach by faith. The Bible tells us that "the just shall live by faith," and this faith is anchored in Jesus Christ, because we can only do all things through Him (see Habakkuk 2:4; Philippians 4:13). It only follows that our faith goals, or resolutions, should be based on our faith in the Lord.
That said, here are a few New Year's resolutions that we should all make. Some of us have already made these and live by these, while some of us haven't, but it's good to make them and follow them.
1) To hide God's word in our hearts that we will not sin
"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:9-11)
Every Christian will do well to feast on God's word and meditate on it day and night on a daily, even moment-by-moment basis. God's word keeps us focused on God and away from sinning. Although the choice is ours to make, the word of God gives us wisdom to make the right and God-pleasing choices.
2) To be successful in denying the self in following Christ
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:24-25)
Self-denial is the prerequisite to following Christ. We can't have two masters; we can only follow one master, and it's either Christ or ourselves - the latter of which will lead to selfishness, greed, and all things "me."
Denying ourselves, however, doesn't mean being a glutton for pain and punishment. It simply means forsaking our selfish desires in favor of what God desires.
3) To grow intimate with the Holy Spirit who resides in us
"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)
Lastly, every Christian should desire to grow intimate with the Holy Spirit of God who dwells in each and every one of us. When we grow intimate in our relationship with Him, we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh. More than that, we also allow Him to bear fruit in our lives. The fruit the Spirit bears indicates our relationship with Him.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:22-26)
