New year! New you! That may not be your motto this year since the past two have been rather unpredictable, but you probably still have this hope to grow and experience the newness of life! And, why should you? As believers, we’re supposed to anticipate the things God is up to. In Isaiah 43:18-19, God basically is telling us that it’s out with the old and in with the new! New Year’s Resolutions are one of those things that seems great to have but can oftentimes be left on the back burner for some… okay, most of us! For others, they set their goals and are hyper-focused on achieving them: go-getters, bag chasers, goal crushers, you know the ones. And although that’s great, and of course, God calls us to be persistent and determined, displaying diligence in the tasks set before us, sometimes we make these resolutions and tend to leave God out of them. At my church, every year for New Year’s Eve Service, we create a list of 12 things we want to see God do in our lives throughout the upcoming year. The other day I took a look to see what my expectations of God were as I entered 2020 and chiiiiilleeee! Only a fraction of my expectations came to pass, but, instead of being discouraged, I had a revelation. The Holy Spirit showed me that the things I was unable to cross off were not written down because I asked God for direction, it was because I wanted to pursue my own plans and fit God into them enough so that I could justify God wanting to bring that thing into my life.
After a year of getting closer to God, so many of my desires, goals, and plans had changed, and I couldn’t have been happier because I saw the spiritual growth that came with those changes. When I looked at this list, those things I didn’t cross off actually mattered less to me now than at the time I wrote them down. God shifted the focus of my ambitions and I can now move forward knowing that the 12 things I wrote down this year, He’s signed off on. Sometimes we want things in life and hope that God is okay with it.
This past year, I’ve learned that even if what you’re seeking is a good thing, it doesn’t mean it’s the good thing God wants for you.
You may want to get a degree, but God has given you a business plan that keeps you up at night. Maybe there’s a car you want, but you have plans to pull up to more parties than Bible Studies and church fellowships. Is that weight goal really so that you can care for the temple of the Holy Spirit, or are you trying to make heads turn and increase your IG following? If you say you love God and if you call yourself a believer, I’m here to tell you that any goal you set outside of Christ will lead to your spiritual demise. It’s because of Christ you’re in this moment, reading this editorial. It’s because of Christ that you can call yourself a follower, a believer, a child of God.
As you enter into 2022, making it your resolution to get closer to God by becoming more like Christ is one you can make each year and see the results each time.
All God asks is that we aim to live a life that reflects the salvation we’ve received. Approaching each resolution with His kingdom in mind, we can hold onto this key Bible verse – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Everything you’ve hoped and prayed for, everything you want to reach for but are afraid of failing, through Christ you’ll obtain those things God’s way, and I doubt that there’s a better way than that. My hope for you is that this will be the year you see the unlimited potential God placed inside of you. As you get closer to Jesus, may you know that every resolution you’re expecting will be the fruit of the relationship you build with Him. Don’t keep God out of your year. Plan with Him, cling to Christ and watch God do His thing in your life this year.
Happy New Year y’all!
