Writing Resolutions? Start Here.

Whether you've finalized your 2020 resolutions, don't have plans to make any, or are somewhere in between, the best place to start thinking about change in the New Year is with the Word of God.  Before you start figuring out how to get out of debt or shed those holiday pounds (and those are wonderful goals!), start with the Bible, and with prayer, ask God to guide your priorities.  Even within the 66 books of the Bible, you may wonder where to begin, so here are some suggestions.

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• The Great Commandments. The greatest commandment of all is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul, your strength - your all.  Pour everything you are and everything you have into loving God.  What activities can you start (and stop!) that will demonstrate greater love for God in the New Year.  Concrete examples may include participating in more corporate worship events at your church, taking on more volunteer opportunities, increasing the amount you donate to your church or various mission offerings, and (crucially) setting daily appointments for devotional time with the Lord.  The second commandment is to love your neighbor.  Concrete examples of this in 2020 may include volunteering at the shelters, donating the stuff you haven't touched in a year or more, asking your loved ones what you can do to love them more, and intentionally performing acts of kindness every week, every day.  Treating people with greater respect and dignity are other examples.
• The Great Commission.  God's heart is for the nations to hear the Gospel and respond in faith.  How will you prioritize disciple-making in the New Year?  Is there someone you can take under your wing and pour into their spiritual development?  Is there someone who can do this for you?  How often do you pray for those who need Christ?  Do you have such a list?  Is God leading you to plan a short-term mission trip this year?  Could you have a yard sale and donate the proceeds to missions?  (P. S. The sooner you become debt-free, the more crazy-generous you can afford to become.)

The gist of both of these areas of thought is summarized in Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."  You will figure out how to pay the bills, clothe the kids, pay down the debt, and shed the pounds if you set the right initial course.  Get the biggest things in place, and then ask God to help you with all the secondary things.  

Here are some additional Bible verses to guide your goal-setting for the New Year.

Ephesians 4:13 (NIV), "Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

Romans 8:29a (NIV), "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son."

2 Peter 3:18a (NIV), "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV), "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."