Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Isaiah 43:18-19 CSB
Another New Year is upon us. We see it as a new beginning, another chance to change our habits and live our lives a better way. But somehow we manage to drag our baggage right along with us into the New Year. Most resolutions are broken in the first week. Fridays are a popular day for ending resolutions and the second Friday in January is called Quitter’s Day. Forty-three percent of adults quit their New Year’s goals by the end of January.
So how do we change our bad habits and start new ones that honor God and our own bodies and minds? First, when we come to know the Lord, He will give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us. If we are in Christ, we are new creations for the old has passed away. We can remind ourselves of these Biblical promises. Read God’s Word and petition Him to help you seek the changes needed to make you more righteous before Him. As we grow in Christ, we want to be more like Him in our everyday life, in big ways and small ways. In almost every conflict, the answer seems to be: prayer, scripture, and drawing closer to our Lord. Instead of focusing on the problem behavior, try focusing on being more like Christ. Would Christ be gluttonous? Would He smoke, causing damage to His lungs? Do you think He would commit adultery? I don’t think He would lie, curse, or be guilty of breaking any of His ten commandments.
Try not to dwell on the past. Last year is gone. You can’t change it or fix it. Look to the new and see what God will do with it. A New Year is a great place to start a new way of living your best life. But realize that a new month is a great new beginning, too. A new week is a wonderful time to change. And a new day dawns filled with promise and hope. This very minute you could resolve to change something in your life for the better.
Take a deep breath and see what the Lord will do when you invite Him to dwell in your new heart and spirit.
Things to ponder:
— Do you always make resolutions you never keep?
— What if you don’t make a resolution and instead just try to be more like Christ?
— Try bringing back the adage WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). Apply it to your bad habits and behaviors you want to change.
Father, God, as the New Year draws near, come dwell in my heart and mind. Help me daily to grow more like You, leaving behind bad behaviors and thinking. Remind me that You don’t want me to live in my past, but to look to You for guidance in the present, and to dwell on Your promises for my future. In Your presence I choose to stay. Amen.
