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New Year’s Day is an important day for the entire world. As a society we can look upon New Year’s Day in a few different ways. Among them, a day to put the last year ‘behind us’ or see it as a ‘reset day’. We may look at this day as a day to start something new. Perhaps this day is a day of reflection that you will grow one year older in your lifetime.
What does this day mean to you? Do you see New Year’s Day as a day that marks the end of something in the past or as the first day of something new? Perhaps both?
One of the most popular traditions of New Year’s Day is to proclaim a new year’s resolution. This is where we make a commitment to ourselves, or others that we will seek a change in our lives. It could be stopping a bad habit or starting a new habit. It could be working on a behavior that we would like to do less of or working on a behavior we feel we should do more of.
Whatever the resolution, it is a common theme across the entire globe to participate in this self-imposed commitment.
When I reflect on new year’s resolutions from years past, I think a resolution has become more so something to strive for. For example, I strive to eat more vegetables and less cookies. I strive to walk more instead of sitting at a desk all day. I strive to be more communicative with friends and family.
The definition of ‘strive’ is to ‘devote serious effort or energy’. What have you devoted serious effort or energy to lately? Do you have a new year’s resolution? Do you have something you want to strive for?
So often, our new year’s resolutions have to do with self-improvement. We know what we want to do or be better at, but many times the particular area we strive for is something that may be difficult to do and stay at it. Can you think of something you have decided would be something worth striving for? Have you tried it before?
Do you find it easier to attach a goal to a new years resolution vs achieving the goal any time of the year? I think, when we attach a new year’s resolution to a goal – perhaps it holds more weight, more urgency because we have psychologically ‘reset’ to prepare for the coming year. I think there is a mental ‘wiping the slate clean’ so we are more motivated to decide what we put on our fresh new plate.
Is a stronger, more intimate relationship with God something you would like to strive for?
Let me ask you something. Is your relationship with God among your new year’s resolutions or goals? Is a stronger, more intimate relationship with God something you would like to strive for? In other words, is your union with God something you would like to – quote “devote serious effort or energy”.
If there are things in your life that you have added to your new year’s resolution list, I want to invite you and encourage you to put your relationship with God at the top of that list.
Here’s why. God already knows what is best for you. God knows the events coming up for you in the coming year. He knows the areas of your life that you want to change for the better.
I hear that most new year’s resolutions start strong but fade away in the weeks and months ahead either due to distraction or lack of motivation. Well, here is more good news. Bringing something before God – especially when it comes to improving upon a behavior you know is not ideal is the most powerful thing you can do. Rather than relying on your own strength and will power, God desires for us to rely on him, to ask him to give us strength to do more, to do better.
Are you looking to do better with your eating habits? What would happen if you asked God regularly to help you to resist the temptation to reach for the ice cream instead of a healthy fruit?
What do you think would happen if you asked God for more opportunities to show kindness to others?
What do you think would happen if you asked God for more opportunities to show kindness to others? How about giving you calm and peace when you become angry?
We are fallible, we may or may not follow through on something we would like to do better on our own, but with God’s help we can have a bold and transformational life.
Are you willing to partner with God in the coming year? Are you willing to serve him? Are you willing to do the work to show him how much you love and honor him? Are you ready to experience his unbounding love as you walk in step with him day by day?
If you answered yes, I want to invite you to ask God to partner with you today as well as every day this year. I want you to hand over your list of new year’s resolutions – asking him to help you in the areas that he knows best. I want to encourage you that God – knows – best. He does not need a list from you – he already knows. So, therefore I want to encourage you to focus on your relationship with God as your new year’s resolution. In doing so, all things that you may have in mind and may not will flow and manifest from your relationship with him.
If you strive to lean into God, in other words, if you quote “devote serious effort or energy” leaning into God, I promise you, he will welcome you with open arms and you will see the fruits of devotion to him.
I want to give you some quick tips on how to make God part of your day, every day in the year ahead. Tips that you can follow as you strive to grow closer to God!
Start your day with him. Greet him as you awake just as you would with a spouse, a child or even your pet. Make God your first greeting of the day!
Share your plans with him. As you consider your plans for the day, share them with him. Ask him to guide and order your steps. Don’t worry about leaving out details, he already knows – but bring up the things that are on your heart both the concerns and the joys.
Ask him to partner with you as you start work or school. Before you start work or school. Before you read a single email or chat message related to your job or education, ask God to partner with you that day. Ask him to order your steps and work with the people you will encounter over the course of the day in real-time and even behind the scenes. Ask him to order events for you to have favor, influence and abundance. Don’t forget to ask him to show you your part in serving him and others at school or work.
Check in with God throughout your day. You can talk with God any time of the day. Talk with him on the move and on the fly, or do as I do. I set a few alarms each day to kinda snap me out of whatever I am engrossed in to take a few moments to check in with God. I express thanks and ask him to show me how I can continue to serve him and I ask him to help me focus on my work.
Last but not the least, Make quiet time for God. Every relationship takes time to nurture and grow. I encourage you to not look at your relationship with God as transactional but relational. Think about people in your life that you are close to. Do these relationships benefit from time you both invest? The same benefits can be seen when you make quiet time for God. I actually mean setting out time – say 20-25 minutes to just be still and let him know of your desire to dwell in his presence. Don’t worry – no need to be perfect during this time. You may be distracted or have racing thoughts, but just let them pass and gently return to him. He craves a relationship with us and the effort you take to spend time with him will mean so much to him! As for me, I make this time early in the morning soon after I wake up and greet him. I find this to be the least distracting time. See what works best for you.
As you follow these tips, know that the almighty God is smiling upon you and delighted that you are trusting in him. By the way, you don’t need to wait until new years day and make a new years resolution to have a stronger relationship with God. It can be any time and any place!
In this message, we have talked about ways to strive for a stronger relationship and union with God in the new year. I wish you blessings, abundance and favor in all that you do and pray that you will strive for seeking God’s love as your number one new year’s resolution.
We look forward to bringing messages to you in the year to come – striving to do our very best to join you as well as seek to walk in step with God.
Happy New Year!
Bless you.
