What is it about a new year that makes us think things will be different? For some reason, the end of one year and the start of another makes us think that we will magically be transformed in some way. Every new year comes with the infamous "resolutions" to work out, diet, focus more on family, and the list goes on. Why do we think we will suddenly become more disciplined and form new habits just by a change in the year?
I guess with each new year comes the idea of a clean slate or a fresh start. I know I have been guilty of making some of these popular "resolutions" in past years. Usually, I can do really well at keeping them for about 4 days, a week if I'm lucky. As we were eating our way through the Christmas holiday, family members talked about how "after the holidays the diet would be starting." Even I was thinking, "sure, after Christmas I'm going to start working out and eat better."
You know what the problem is with resolutions such as these? They all require a change in HABIT. Habit is defined as: a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. There ya go. A habit is settled. It is regular. And it is HARD TO GIVE UP.
If we are in the habit of not excercising and not eating healthy, do we really believe that a new year is the answer to changing this? In my experience, habits are hard to break. Fortunately not all habits are bad, and some are definetly WORTH trying to change.
My only resolution for the new year is this: to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:5. Each new year I try to discipline myself to become more consistent with my quiet times, to spend more time in prayer, to evangelize, and to serve the Lord more. Admitedly, there are some years that I do better at this than others. I have journals from past years that I wrote down prayers everyday. It's amazing to go back and see the way God has worked in my life. The problem is, that sometimes the gaps in between entries is days, weeks, or months.
The reason that this resolution is one worthy of the effort it takes, is because it's the only one that lasts. God's Word is eternal. The time invested in it, and allowing it to change my life is worth more than anything this world has to offer.
The world focuses on things that will not last. As I flipped through the January issue of "InStyle" there were dozens of articles on beauty, fashion, and diet resolutions for the new year. Now don't get me wrong, there is some importance to eating healthy and taking care of your body. After all, 1 Corinthians 6:19 says "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" We should be taking care of our bodies as our "temple." And concerning fashion, the "ideal woman" described in Proverbs 31:22b says, "she is clothed in fine linen and purple." I'm not saying that we shouldn't make taking care of ourselves a priority. Just so long as it isn't our main focus.
Instead, we ought to be focused on God. His Word gives us a timely message in Matthew 6:25-33:
"25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
God is our foundation on which everything else is laid. We cannot expect there to be a significant change in our lives if we are not willing to place God first. I would encourage you to join me in choosing to change your habit this new year. After all, being in love with the Lord and abiding in Him is a good habit to start.
