New Year's Resolutions

How many of you have set New Year's Resolutions? In years past I used to always refuse to make New Year's Resolutions. Even when I was in school and they made us write them on a piece of paper and put them in an envelope, I put a blank piece of paper in an envelope. As a man, for me to write something down, or purpose to do something, and then fail at it was to show a lack of character and I simply refused.

It was really a grand scheme, as I never had to say I didn't stick with my New Year's Resolutions. However, it kept me from having any real purpose in going into the New Year. What is my reason for living this next year? So last year, I made some resolutions. Some resolutions I kept, some I didn't. This year, I'll set some more. This year, I will try to keep them all, but I will likely fail.

So what then does the Bible have to say about resolutions? 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 shows us that every good purpose God fulfills in our lives is for His glory. Lamentations 3:40-41 gives us a great place to start: examining our lives, returning to God, and praising God. While I have several resolutions that are very personal for this year, I definitely want one of those resolutions to be to examine my life more closely on a daily basis, and to draw closer to God.

Even if you don't have a particular mission or goal in life, find some purpose for yourself in the coming year, and pursue it with all of your might. If you have no purpose, make it your purpose to find your purpose, through study and seeking God. God has a purpose for every one of us (2 Timothy 1:8-14).