I expect most of you are back into your normal routine. Adults are back to work, children are back to school, and life continues as it did before. The holiday season is now behind us. We always start a new year with fresh ideas and thoughts about what we are going to achieve during the next twelve months. Do you ever write down your new year’s resolutions, and then review them at the end of the year to see how you did? I think most people’s resolutions rarely see the month out and by the end of the year they can’t even remember what they were!
Perhaps we go about our resolutions the wrong way. Often we jump in at the deep end and try to make dramatic changes at once, which then we find impossible to keep up with, instead of trying to slowly introduce new habits. Apparently it takes a whole six weeks for a new habit to become part of your normal behavior.
What about spiritual resolutions? I think many people resolve that they will read the Bible every day, and start again on January 1st. I’m sure many people also resolve to be better people and to help others. But why do we always leave these resolutions to the new year? Surely we can try to be a better Christian starting on any day we choose?
Lets remember what Paul says:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
When you choose to follow Jesus you are part of the new creation! This means that we are part of God’s covenant of grace and forgiveness, and if we choose to walk towards God’s kingdom every day, we can start fresh every single day. We don’t have to wait for the new year. So if you haven’t made any spiritual resolutions, you can do it today, or tomorrow, or next month – it doesn’t matter. Every step we take brings up closer to the kingdom.
As for the next twelve months, let us pray that this year will see the return of Christ to the earth to sort out the many problems we have, and set up that glorious kingdom.
In the meantime, if you do want to start off a new spiritual habit, why not sign up for the Bible Reading bookmarks on the Bible Quiz site:
Why not make this the year that you finally make regular Bible reading a habit!
May God bless you this year, whatever your spiritual resolutions may be.
