The start of the new year often brings hope and energy for a fresh start. While I’m not one for the term, “New Year’s Resolution,” I do love having goals for the year. They give me focus and help me to be intentional about creating the life God has called me to live. This year feels different, though. Instead of sprinting out of the gate with my own plan and a full tank of motivation, I am finding myself slow and stopped in moving towards my goals. Not because I’ve already given up, but because I’m actually taking the time to do the inside work first.
I’m finding myself asking a lot of questions with one particular goal and prayerfully reflecting in what the answers might be. I’m wrestling with current beliefs I hold and the challenging idea that those beliefs could be wrong. I sense an internal shift, and to be honest, I’m excited.
I think this is a really important step we often miss when setting and pursuing new goals for ourselves. I’ve learned that true change and transformation doesn’t happen in our own strength, and it certainly doesn’t happen overnight. In my own experience, lasting change and transformation has come in the slow questioning and wrestling with God and His ways of doing things versus my own. It’s come in the slow transformation of my heart.
But what about you? Do you love setting New Year’s Resolutions, or do you avoid them like the plague because of the inevitable failure associated with them? I mean, the second Friday of January is unofficially named, Quitter’s Day, because half of people who set resolutions throw in the towel by then. I suspect this failure is likely because people make their own plans and set out to change the external before ever really looking at the necessary internal shifts.
Maybe you’ve had your own failures year after year and just feel like giving up. I know I have. Perhaps the first step is acknowledging that you’ve been trying to do it on your own all this time. In your own strength, with your own plan, without prayerfully inviting the Holy Spirit into the process. If so, there are practical steps you can take to set yourself up for a better outcome this year and the years to come.
Steps You Can Take Today to Set a Better New Year’s Resolution
Acknowledge and Repent
First, acknowledge that you’ve been trying to go it alone all this time and repent. Admit to God that you’ve been trying to do it your own way instead of His way, and that your way doesn’t work. Then ask for His forgiveness and help.
Do a Heart Check
Next, do a heart check. Ask yourself the following: Why do I want to achieve this goal? Is it for my own personal gain? For love and acceptance from others? To point others to God? God is more concerned with our hearts. Ask him to show you your heart and if it is in the right place. Two great things will come from this. First, you may find your why isn’t important or doesn’t line up with your values. If so, then the goal or resolution isn’t worth pursuing. Second, if you find your heart is in the right place, knowing your why will be helpful on the days when sticking to your goal or resolution seems tough.
Check with God
If you have found your heart is in the right place, it’s time to do some homework. Does your New Year’s Resolution line up with the Word of God? If you are hoping for something outside of God’s will, be prepared to fail. God wants us to align our will with His. The way to do that is to read the Bible. I encourage you to first ask God to show you His will and then research scriptures on the topic you hope to achieve. For example, if you are looking for better health and well-being, you could research, “What does scripture say about health and well-being?” Finances? You could research, “scripture about money.” But remember, the internet is just a starting point to direct you to reading points in your Bible. Actually dig into the scriptures in your Bible for context and a full picture.
Invite God In
If you’ve found your heart is in the right place and your desires line up with the Word of God, prayerfully invite Him into the process. Ask Him to direct your steps and show you what to do. And be patient with yourself as you learn to discern His leading.
As you seek God to direct your steps, find out God’s design and blueprint for what you want to accomplish. For example, what do you hope to achieve? Losing weight, finding a spouse, building a stronger marriage or relationship with your kids? Better finances? God has a blueprint for how to live in all of these areas and more. Dig into the Word of God, see what He has to say about it. You’ll likely start learning things you never knew and have some of your own beliefs challenged. Embrace this process. Ask the questions and wrestle with these new ideas. I have found this is when the heart change takes place. It’s the inside change that needs to happen before any outside change can take place. This is a necessary part of lasting transformation, so embrace the process if you are serious about change.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2
Final Thoughts
Lasting change and achieving your New Year’s Resolution is possible. But only if we seek and invite God into the process and allow Him to change our minds and hearts. I invite you to give it a try this year, and remember, be patient with the process. Lasting change worthy of our time and effort can’t be microwaved.
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