First, it is important to note that having New Year's Resolutions is neither necessary nor problematic for the Christian. If you did not make a resolution for this year, beginning on January 1, don't panic! There is no biblical requirement for such action. However, Christians are called to live holy lives, to love others more than ourselves, and to allow our lives to be centered upon God's will rather than our own kingdoms. This means that as Christians we are constantly in need of change to better conform to the likeness and witness of Jesus Christ. We continue to live in sin, although we're forgiven, and we continue to de-prioritize spiritual growth and self-denial. So hopefully there will be times in our lives when we will open our eyes to some of these issues and seek God to help us "resolve" the problems. It's more than just eliminating specific vices in our lives; it's also taking charge of our time, wealth and skills to utilize them to the maximum good for God's Kingdom by loving others.
Secondly, it is important to note that historically, Christians have had one major event per year when they would undergo a significant change in order to come closer to God. This is known as Lent, which begins Ash Wednesday (Feb. 10 this year) and ends with Easter. Lent is traditionally observed to build discipline and encourage self-denial in preparation for the annual commemoration of Christ's death and resurrection. While this is somewhat different from a New Year's Resolution, as often we give up something only for the 40 days of Lent rather than forever, there is a great deal of similarity between the two, particularly for the Christian. A New Year's Resolution can be thought of similarly to what we give up for Lent, that it is a discipline that builds our relationship with God and others. In fact, for the Christian, it would be most appropriate to make a resolution in 2016 that puts God at the center of our affairs. So if our resolution is to become healthy, then it would be wise to include spiritual health with the eating right and exercising. Or, perhaps overeating is a major difficulty for you, and including God, Scripture reading and Christian accountability can help you with that resolution. The key for us as Christians is to put God at the center of everything we do, including resolutions at the beginning of a new year.
Next, we should probably talk about what kinds of resolutions we are seeking and ask ourselves, "is this really something I'm doing with God at the center?" Exercising and eating well can be something we do with God at the center--or not! What good do you plan on doing should you succeed in your resolution? One of the biggest problems of the New Year's Resolution is that we don't have any real follow-through plan for success. This is probably the biggest reason that most New Year's Resolutions end up in failure by February! Not only does visualizing and planning on success in our resolution help us to succeed each day by giving us a goal, it allows us to think about the purpose and outcome of our actions. As Christians we are called to make God the purpose and outcome of our actions, especially when we change our habits and ways of life. What kind of life are you seeking with this resolution? Will these habits be for good or bad? And where will you go once you succeed? Think about the weight loss example. Imagine someone who is 150 pounds overweight, then resolves to lose it, and succeeds! This can go in multiple directions. The individual could then use his or her experience to judge others who are obese, claiming "it just takes hard work, and I did it, so you have no excuse"! Weight loss is not only different for everyone, but obesity is not a reason for us to judge anyone else. (Nothing is, in fact.) This individual could use his or her new slim body to fall into a myriad of sexual sins, such as adultery or promiscuity. Do you see how something that can be so positive can be spiritually devastating? I would encourage any Christian seeking to lose weight first recognize that you are beautiful and God loves you just the way you are; that second, you need to know that your life is going to change a lot by losing weight; and that third, you prepare for those changes now, before you undergo the journey. Imagine how people will view you differently, how you will view yourself differently, and how you will be physically capable of new and exciting possibilities. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Christians who lost a lot of weight could help to encourage others, share recipes, exercise with buddies and speak openly about the emotional roller coaster of a life of obesity? This is the kind of attitude and end game we're looking for that makes New Year's Resolutions so meaningful for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn't take time out to discuss Scripture. Scripture is the source of inspiration for us as Christians, and is an incredible source of wisdom. In Proverbs alone, the trait of discipline is regarded in high esteem and is a topic of frequent discussion. Of all of the spiritual fruit, self-control is listed lastly, unsurprisingly. One of the biggest reasons people resolve to change their lives, yet fail to do so, is from a lack of self-discipline so coveted by the words of Scripture. I would propose that anyone who is undergoing such a resolution can benefit greatly by allowing Scripture to inspire and lead him or her along this journey of self-discipline. Discipline is a gift of the spirit and is not easy to come by. But with a daily dose of Scripture feeding your soul, you will be one step closer to meeting your goals for 2016. Even if reading the Bible isn't your New Year's Resolution, I believe that you will find it to be very helpful in your pursuit.
Finally, I want to emphasize that it is never too late to resolve to change your way of life for the better. You may have not yet chosen a resolution for 2016, or maybe you've even stumbled already! What's important is your desire and plan to envision your future in a new way and live into it. The exact timing is not so critical. In fact, you're probably better off planning for your resolution and thinking about how you will incorporate it into your life rather than just jumping in head first. Consider many areas of your life, and which of those might be most fruitful now. And when deciding a resolution for New Year's, Lent, or any other time of the year, don't forget that most Americans are overly busy and could benefit from deleting something from our schedules to free more time and resources to other priorities. Less is more, and if you find yourself struggling to add to your crazy schedule, perhaps a Sabbath from the busyness of life is just the discipline you need in the future.
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