New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

Welcome to 2015! 

How many of you were ready for a new beginning? What resolutions have you made? 

Eat less and work out more?

Spend less and give more?

Spend more time with the Lord and less time on social media?

Spend more quality time with your kids and less time at work?

It isn’t like we really need a new year to make changes, but January 1^st seems to be the jumping off point that many of us need to kick start our motivation and send us on our way to following through on those resolutions. A fresh start. A new opportunity to do that thing that you’ve never done before. A chance to put hard things behind you and look ahead to the exciting things God has in store for you. Two verses come to mind when I think of a new year:

1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Lamentations 3:22-24 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 

Most of us walk into the new year with great expectation—that this year will be better than the last! That our resolutions will somehow make us happier and healthier. We especially like to think this if last year was a difficult one. We look ahead with great hope that physical ailments, financial struggles, death of loved ones, relationship troubles, work disappointments, and other difficult circumstances will leave the year 2015 untouched. And yet, most of us know that 2015 will probably bring troubles and worries along with it’s joys and triumphs. So what resolutions should we make?

Psalm 73:25-26 says, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Is one of your resolutions to truly desire the Lord and to seek Him fully this year? If so, you can anticipate a GREAT year! Not because it will be perfect or because you will be perfect. Not because it will be easy or because we will be spared hard times. We can look forward to 2015 with joy and excitement because God is the strength of our heart and our portion forever—not just this year, but for all of the years to come. 

He will be with us through whatever ups and downs this year will bring. Praise the Lord that He follows through on every one of his promises, even when the “resolve” in our resolutions waiver.