On behalf of everyone who survived the year 2020, let me be first to say, welcome to 2021. We made it y’all! As we go into the month of January, we focus on an age-old tradition that happens around this time (no, I’m not talking about the college football playoff). I’m talking about making resolutions. Yes, that tradition that everyone says, “this year I’m actually gonna do this”, but then forgets about it in a month or two. However, there are a select few that are consistent with making resolutions (I envy those people).
Before I go into the actual subject of resolutions, however, remember what Jeremiah 29:11 says.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
The point of that is that we can make all the resolutions we want to change ourselves, but only the Lord knows our true plans.
On the subject of resolutions, look at what Jesus says in John 15:5:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
No matter how many resolutions we make, we can’t do it without God’s help. Let me give you an example.
Let’s say this year you want to quit smoking. We think, “Ok, I’ll quit cold turkey, I won’t come back to this.” That said, you have a stressful week, you need an out, and boom, you light one up.
Now let’s take that example, and do it with God’s help. You want to quit smoking, but instead of relying on willpower, you pray and ask God to help you quit. Then you have a stressful week, and you need an out, but instead of lighting a cigarette, you pray and ask God to help alleviate the stress of the week.
See the difference when you put God in the picture? You ask God, and he will guide you through, or better put, in Proverbs 3:6.
“In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
The point is if you trust in the Lord, and you ask him to help you with this resolution, he will, and he’ll guide you back.
Like everything, we cannot expect this change to come immediately. We’ll slip, we’ll fall down. To use sports terms, we’ll strike out, we’ll miss that game-winning shot, but it will all come in God’s timing.