No More Resolutions
Happy New Year!
I don’t like New Year’s resolutions. According to some smart researchers, over 90% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Of course Google can tell you all the reasons why, none of which are that surprising. So as we move into the new year, instead of making a resolution that will probably not be successful, let’s simply focus on God and how He has the power to make us new. When we let Him change our hearts, our lifestyle and goals will slowly become more aligned to His will.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Psalm 51:7, 10
We are made clean
According to Google, the top three New Year’s resolutions deal with finances, physical health, and mental health. As we have already established, I don’t like resolutions. However, setting achievable goals with appropriate accountability is more reasonable. One such goal that would help meet each of the most common resolutions (and so many more inner desires that we all have) is to focus on God and strengthen our relationship with Him.
Sure, we can clean the outside of our bodies- wear clean clothes, nice jewelry, expensive perfume. Does any of that truly matter to God? Nope. Throughout the Bible we are told several times how God cares about the condition of our hearts. God reaches the depths of our hearts and souls to clear the spider webs, dust off the buried trauma, and change us. Out of our hearts flows our words and actions. But none of us can go before God by our own power because on our own our hearts are dirty and sinful. Our actions reveal how sinful our hearts are daily- with sly, hateful comments and selfish exclusion of others. How depressing, right? Well, GOOD NEWS.
“Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Our sins turn from blood to snow because Jesus took on the sin of the world. He was the bloody sacrifice so that we don’t have to be the ugly, sinful mess when God looks at us. Since God cannot look on sin, he couldn’t look on the people of Israel without their atoning sacrifices. Because Jesus was the better and perfect sacrifice, we are able to be made clean - whiter than snow.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I have tried to clean a bloody mess out of a tan carpet. Blood is sticky and smelly and stains way too easily. After sitting on the carpet scrubbing with hydrogen peroxide for several hours, I soon gave up and just moved a piece of furniture on top of the stain to hide it. With Jesus, I don’t have to simply “hide” my sticky, smelly, gross sin stain because Jesus makes it white as snow. I have seen snow a few times in my life, and refreshing and calm (and COLD) perfectly describes how I felt standing with the tiny snowflakes falling all around me. And yet, Jesus does something similar with our hearts each time we seek Him out and ask Him to.
Our hearts are refreshed
Right now, you may be saying “Alright, DeeDee, I get it. Jesus forgives our sins. But I’m tired. I’m busy. I’m stressed. My finances are meek, and I’m burnt out at work. I need to work out and lose weight and eat more healthily, but that is so hard and requires so much energy. My anxiety and depression are at an all time high that I struggle to get through the day sometimes. How am I supposed to find time and mental energy for God, too?”
Let me say this in response- I hear you. I have been there, and in some ways am there today. More than that- God hears you and Jesus has been there. Jesus knows exactly what you're going through. He understands the difficulties we have in being humans because He was fully human.
So how do we get the refresh we so eagerly desire as we start this new calendar year? We ask Him.
Look back at Psalm 51:10: God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
In the verse above, we see the Psalmist David ask God to create a steadfast spirit within him. According to the Oxford Dictionary, ‘steadfast’ means “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering”. David is pleading with God to strengthen his spirit and his connection to God. While the people of David’s time didn’t have the luxury of Jesus, we do! We can go to God with a humble heart anytime and any place to make the same plea. “Lord, create a steadfast spirit within me. Help me to solely and unwaveringly desire You and You alone.”
Life is hard, busy, and stressful. This is a fact. It is true that the to-do list seems to get shorter after the holidays, but then the routine of life continues. God is able to renew our hearts and give us a new passion for Him. All we need to do is ask Him. But here’s the catch- we may have to change our routines to schedule quiet time with Him daily or we may need to seek accountability from fellow believers. But it is so doable and so worth it.
By choosing today to take time to just focus on God and ask Him to align your heart to His, you’ll be off to a fabulous start in the new year. You don’t have to state large lofty goals like “lose 40 pounds” or “save up enough money for a new home”. Instead set aside time each and every day to align your will with God’s will. I promise that will do you more good than any resolution!
Ready for a Bible study template to improve your time in the Word? Just give us your email address below and it’s all yours!
