But Daniel resolved not to defile himself…. Daniel 1:8a NIV
New Year’s Day is a perfect time to evaluate your spiritual walk. Are you as close to God as you want to be or would you like your relationship with the Lord to be stronger and more intimate in the year ahead? If you’d like to end 2020 with a stronger faith and a closer walk with God here are four very practical resolutions you can make to start this new year.
- Resolve that the word of God will dominate your thoughts. It’s not enough to just read it everyday, it needs to become the focus of your life. Going through the motions of reading a few verses that are quickly forgotten as you move through the day does very little to change your thought process. Determine that you’ll really consider what you’re reading, think it through, and apply it to your life. Give it your full attention and keep it fresh in your mind throughout the day. If you need help finding a strategy that works for you, drop me an email and I’d be happy to make some suggestions. GripTheSword@gmail.com
- Resolve to spend quality time seeking God in prayer. Communication is the key ingredient in any relationship. God speaks to us through His word as we read and think about it, and directly to our hearts as we take the time to pray. Prayer is two way communication. There’s no right or wrong way to pray, but basically you need to get some time alone, and focus your mind completely on God. Share with Him your deepest thoughts, desires, and fears. Talk to Him about everything! And take the time to listen, to give Him opportunity to guide your thoughts, touch your emotions, give you wisdom and draw you close to Himself. You will be amazed at how intimate your relationship with God will become!
- Resolve, like Daniel, not to defile yourself. In other words, determine to remove everything that causes you to stumble in your faith. Sin separates us from God, so we can’t expect to enjoy a close relationship with God if we allow sin to remain in our lives. The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 NIV Sometimes it’s easier to identify the sin that entangles, but harder to identify everything that hinders. It’s important to throw off both! Determine to remove anything in your life that hinders your faith and distracts you from the things of God. It may not be sinful, in and of itself, but it may be harmful to your spiritual walk. Determine today what those things are and make the necessary changes.
- Resolve to be grateful. Bring to mind your blessings instead of your struggles. What did God do in your life in 2019? Focus on those things and live with an attitude of gratefulness. Consider too, the people God placed in your life who show you support. Take some time to write a list of everything they’ve done for you in the past year. If nothing comes immediately to mind, you probably haven’t been showing them the appreciation they deserve. If it takes a while to come up with a list, chances are you’ve been taking the people closest to you for granted. Don’t look past the small blessings. Those things add up and really make a difference in our day to day success. And don’t be tempted not to include those who may have made mistakes that disappointed you during the year. Their mistakes do not offset the support they’ve shown you, not if you have a grateful spirit. If you struggle with this, ask God to help you see and appreciate the support He has given you through other people. As you begin to look for these things, you will find your peace of mind increases and it will be easier to draw closer to God.
My pastor often says, “You are as close to God as you want to be.” In other words, a close walk with God is within your reach. It’s most certainly attainable; there is nothing that will prevent you from obtaining it, if it’s what you really want. So I circle back to the original question. Are you as close to God as you want to be or would you like your relationship with the Lord to be stronger and more intimate in the year ahead? Resolve that results in change involves action, not just contemplation.