Happy New Year Family and Friends,

In case you wondered why we spent last week on the Old Year (scars) and not the New Year, I wanted us to first shake the dust off our feet as we leave 2021 behind. And remind us that we worship a God who deeply cares for us, just like He cared for the exiled Israelites. 

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

With that in our minds and hearts, let’s enter the New Year with confidence and a fresh spirit as we look at the tradition of New Year’s resolutions.

If you are anything like me, your resolutions of the past related in some way to health, wealth, self-development, self-discipline, or relationships – – and lasted no longer than six weeks. 

And if you are like me, falling short year after year has led to dwindling enthusiasm for making new resolutions. I can’t even remember the last resolution I made. But then again, that may be age related…

Change is indeed hard. Unless the change is in line with God doing a new thing in us.

Do you not perceive it? That maybe God wants to tell us something as we start the new year?

Perhaps 2022 is a year of a new thing, a new resolution – that rather than thinking about our waistline, He wants us to resolve to improve our spiritual health.

If this resonates in your heart, Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, in a section titled ‘Put On the New Self,’ offers the following resolution ideas for us to consider.

Resolution Idea #2. Self-reflect and repent from worldly ways.

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5 ESV

Resolution Idea #3. Take on the traits of Jesus and love others as Christ loves us.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14 ESV

Resolution Idea #4. Let peace and unity dictate our actions towards others. And be more thankful.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 ESV

Resolution Idea #5. Get back to doing the basics: reading our Bibles, gathering with fellow Christ followers, and praying.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV

Resolution Idea #6. Glorify Christ in all that we do.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:17‬ ESV

The best idea is saved for last.

Resolution Idea #1. Make Christ and His Kingdom our true priority in life, dedicating our lives, our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions to Jesus Christ.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 ESV

All of these suggested resolutions begin with Resolution Idea #1. Why? It’s not possible to do resolutions 2 through 6 without doing the first resolution first.

Resolution #1, making Christ our priority, is the source of limitless passion and power that will keep us going when we want to quit and carry us over the six-week wall to true transformation.  

Let me share one last reason why setting our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, is so important.

The simple truth is we become like what or whom we worship.

“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135:15-18‬ NIV

Allow me to close with this. If you resolve to do what God wants for you this year, do so not to gain God’s love. Do so because you are overwhelmed by the fact that He already loves you just the way you are.

In love always,