It’s the new year, so you know what that means: New Year’s Resolutions! You know, those things we make every year to do or be something more or better and give up after just a couple months. I asked myself, “Just what is a resolution?” According to the Cambridge dictionary, a resolution is a promise to yourself to do or not to do something.  With this being the start of a new year, I decided to look up around which topics we as a country tend to create our resolutions. For the past five years, our top resolutions have been centered around health, our eating habits, exercise, water intake etc. And while this did not show up on any of the multiple lists I checked, I would posit that within Christianity, we also tend to make resolutions about reading our Bibles more as well as spending more private time with Jesus. 

If we assess ourselves honestly, we can agree that we have all broken our promises (resolutions) to ourselves time and again. We’re ok with making resolutions, but we never determine to be resolute. What is resolute? The Cambridge dictionary states that it is to be determined in character, action or ideas, working to achieve a goal even if it is difficult. See, we’re ok with making a promise but never determine to see it through past the moments of difficulty.  It’s why gym memberships become forgotten, marriages end in divorce, and our Bibles end up gathering dust instead of creating disciples. 

Do you know the number one excuse for failed resolutions? Life got in the way. 

We have become a people that allow our lives to determine our time with Jesus rather than allowing our time with Jesus to determine our lives. Our Bibles end up in the same graveyard as our gym memberships, because we allow things to happen rather than making things happen. Jim Rohn once said, “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse,” and it’s true. 

Jesus showed us with Peter that we don’t have to be tossed on the waves, we can walk on top of them, so this new year don’t just make resolutions. Be resolute. Don’t let life determine what you do or who you are. Let what you do and who you are determine your life. Live life on purpose. With purpose.

 

May the church come alive in 2025.