Each year when the new year rolls around, people around the world start thinking about “New Year’s Resolutions”. People have thoughts or make plans about doing or not doing all kinds of things. The list of “resolutions” that people come up with is practically endless. Some people want to lose weight, buy a house, get a new job, get married, purchase a new vehicle, save money, be more assertive, be more decisive, take up a new hobby, eat healthier, etc. The list could literally go on and on for awhile, but basically people make resolutions that are intended to impact their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. For some these resolutions will be life altering and have either a positive or negative impact on the rest of their life. For many these “resolutions” will need to be repeated on next year’s list because we as people are not always as resolute as we plan to be.
While making “New Year’s Resolutions” are not bad, and can be a very helpful when we focus on good things that move us in a positive and right direction, we as Christians need to make sure, like with everything in our life, that we are putting God first. In Matthew 6:33 we read, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Our primary focus as Christians is to seek after God. So how are we planning to grow closer to God today, this week, this month, this year? Are we in a right place with God? Are we lost? What are our weaknesses? What are our strengths? Are there changes that need to be made in our lives? How do we plan to serve God better? These are just a few of the questions that we should be asking ourselves all the time and not just once a year as part of our annual “resolutions”. As christians our lives belong to Christ (Galatians 2:20) and we should be living for Him daily. Our lives are to be be lived in a very special way (Romans 12:1) because we are a very special people (1 Peter 2:9). So as we begin this new year here in 2022 let us all evaluate our lives in comparison to God’s Word and make sure we are right before Him.
Derek Broome