Keeping those New Year Resolutions
27/01/12 Filed in: New Year
We are now well into the New year. A year full of possibility and opportunity. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 8760 hours. 525, 600 minutes and 31,536,000 seconds. (You didn’t think I could do that much maths did you? 
However you might want to check those figures for yourself.) What will each of us do with all this time?
Some people will have made new year resolutions and about now is the time when those same resolutions are being broken. It is estimated that only 2 out of 10 of us who make resolutions keep them for more than a month. In the dictionary resolution is defined as “a course of action decided upon; a fixed purpose.”
If we are interested in keeping any of our resolutions this year, maybe we should consider following the advice that Paul speaks about in Philippians 3:12-14.
“I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.... Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet!
Let’s briefly analyse the advice contained in these words:
Some people will have made new year resolutions and about now is the time when those same resolutions are being broken. It is estimated that only 2 out of 10 of us who make resolutions keep them for more than a month. In the dictionary resolution is defined as “a course of action decided upon; a fixed purpose.”
If we are interested in keeping any of our resolutions this year, maybe we should consider following the advice that Paul speaks about in Philippians 3:12-14.
“I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.... Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet!
Let’s briefly analyse the advice contained in these words:
- Admit you have made mistakes but that you want to change.
- “I’m not turning back” (v13) Paul is talking about forgetting in such a way that the past, good or bad, will have no negative bearing on one’s present spiritual growth and life. Forget the wrongs that could paralyze you with guilt and despair. In order to make solid resolutions we have to put the failures of previous attempts behind us.
- Make a plan and put it into action. “Keep focussed on the goal” (v13)
- Concentrating on a solid plan will help to make our resolutions more of a reality.
- Organise your activities around your goals - “total commitment” (v14): for example if your goal is to spend more time with my daughter than be specific about ways you can do that. Maybe not just take her to football but offer to help the football team in some way. Sharing her passion and interests will go a long way towards making your time together really rewarding quality time. Schedule time in your diary for these activities to happen or it simply won’t happen.
- Give priority to those scheduled events. There will always be household jobs to finish, extra work to be looked at or another TV programme to watch. If you mean it then put your resolution plans high on your priority list.