New Year's resolutions and the pursuit of holiness

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Saturday, 31 December 2011 08:23

It is a relatively common practice around this time of year to make “New Year’s resolutions”. Many people resolve to lose weight, eat better, spend more time with their family, etc. And many people by the end of January have already either resigned themselves to failure or have forgotten they ever resolved to live differently. For that reason, many refuse to even bother with resolutions – “what’s the point, I won’t keep it any way.”

As Christians our concern ought not be so much with whether or not we make “New Year’s resolutions”, but with whether we truly make progress in holiness. To progress in holiness, however, takes intentionality. You will not wake up next year at this time more holy and kingdom-minded simply because you have existed for another year. A college student will not gain a degree, nor an athlete a medal simply because they managed to exist another year. The student must study and the athlete must train. So with every disciple of Christ. If you would grow in Christlikeness in the year ahead, you must make every effort to pursue holiness (cf. Heb. 12:14; 2 Pet. 1:5-7).

Toward that end, consider now whether you ought not resolve and plan toward growing in holiness in the year ahead. Read passages like 2 Peter 1:5-7, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:25-32, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and consider where you are lacking and how you might intentionally and prayerfully pursue growth. While it is God alone who can ultimately cause your growth, you cannot presume upon Him to cause such growth if you are choosing to neglect the means He has ordained for your growth, such as the study of His word, prayer, and fellowship.

Likewise, you cannot expect growth to occur just because you have begun reading, praying, and fellowshipping. You must plan specific ways of implementing and acting upon His word and the grace which He gives through prayer and fellowship. How can you grow as a husband, wife, dad, mom, employee, neighbor, and member of the body of Christ? Where are you lacking? What specific steps might you take toward growth?

You must consider this for yourself, make your own plan, and prayerfully evaluate your progress throughout the year. No one else can do this for you. But for the sake of example and as a starting point for your own consideration, here are a few possible resolutions you might put in place in the year ahead:

Begin a prayer meeting at work and invite at least 5 people to join me at work in praying during one lunch period per week for each other and for the salvation of our co-workers.
Begin reading daily through the Bible with my children, asking them questions about what we have read and how it applies in their daily lives. At least once during our regular activities throughout the week point out to my children how what we are doing or seeing relates to what we have been reading in the Bible.
Call at least two members of our congregation each week in order to discern how they are doing, pray with and for them, and seek to encourage them through the Scriptures.
Share the gospel with at least one neighbor, co-worker, or relative each and every week of the year.

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