January 2, 2009
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New Year’s Resolutions
It’s that time of year again when I find myself purposefully evaluating my actions and decisions as a Christian for the year that has passed. It’s a time of reflection that can used to bring God glory in the coming year. I try to evaluate my actions on a daily basis but there seems to be something special about the end of the year and a new starting point. Personally, it is a great ‘divider’ from the past to the future where I can make a decision to leave some things behind (and under Christ’s blood) and with great hope look forward to the year ahead.
My husband and I are discussing the coming year and praying for the Lord to direct our steps in several areas that we would like to see changed. We already have put some of those changes into action.
The following section from Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s article greatly inspired me this morning. I love Jonathan Edward’s 70 Resolutions and enjoyed her amplified version. I only copied a short section so if you’d like to read more you can click here. The article is called Spiritual Goals.
May the Lord guide and direct our steps this coming year as we seek to bring Him more glory by the way we live our daily lives.
Nancy: “We’re going to hear about a young man who gained some early success. He entered Yale at age 13 and graduated at the top of his class. But he wasn’t satisfied. He wrote out 70 resolutions to guide his process of spiritual maturity. I think you’ll find these resolutions helpful in your life as Nancy shares some of them with us.
Do you ever find yourself looking at another believer who’s very mature in their faith and they seem so spiritual? Or you read about one of these great Christian leaders in history and you kind of have this sigh and think, “If only I could ever have that kind of mature Christian walk.”
I see some heads nodding. We maybe just assume they’re in a different league, or they’re just naturally more spiritual than we are.
As you examine the lives of those who’ve lived spiritually mature lives, you realize that spiritual maturity doesn’t just happen. We don’t just wake up one morning and find that we’re spiritually mature. It’s a process. It’s a process that requires intentionality. It requires purposing to pursue Christ-likeness.
We’ve been looking this week at some of the resolutions of a great man of God, but made when he was still a teenager. Jonathan Edwards—who became one of the great leaders of the first Great Awakening in our country—was a great pastor and writer and thinker and man of God.
But early in his life he penned 70 resolutions focusing on what kind of person he wanted to become. What were the spiritual values that he wanted to be his core values? He purposed to live an intentional life set apart for the glory of God, to be always growing in his walk with God.
Today we want to look at some more of his resolutions and see how they can challenge us in our own process of growth toward Christ-likeness.
One of the things that comes out in Edwards’ resolutions is that he purposed to live a disciplined life. Now that’s a word I’m not exactly crazy about. And probably judging from some of your faces, you’re not either.
Discipline—that sounds like work. That sounds hard. And it is. In fact, the writer to the Hebrews says, “No discipline for the moment seems pleasant” (12:11).
When I get on the treadmill in the morning or go out to do my strenuous walk—well, it’s pretty strenuous to me . . . that isn’t pleasant. But I’m desirous of a fruit that it’s going to produce that, to me, is worth the discipline.
And Edwards was saying in his resolutions, “There’s an end result that I have in mind. I can envision what it is to be like Jesus, and I’m willing to pay a price to get from here to there.” So he purposed to live a disciplined life, to live temperately, to bring every area of his life under the control of the Holy Spirit.
For example, he said, “I’m resolved to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and in drinking.” In relation to his physical habits he said, “I’m going to be disciplined. I’m going to be temperate.”
This article was written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss at Revive Our Hearts
Comments (10)
Very good article. A new year does present the opportunity to change the things that need changin’ and start the things that need startin’. Thanks for sharing.
I was just thinking this morning that I wanted to reread Edwards’ Resolutions — thank you for posting the link. Blessings, Laurie
Once again, you’ve given us good food for thought and meditation. An interesting aside: I just learned that my husband’s uncle descends from Jonathon Edwards, but on the other side of his family. It makes me want to go back and reread about him.
Happy New Year and thanks so much for your continuing guidance – your new look is very pretty also. Blessings on you and your husband as you make decisions this year!
Thank you for sharing not only this inspiring article but also the process that you & your husband use to start the new year. Indeed each new year as well as each new day brings such opportunity for growth if we seek it.
Beautiful, challenging, thank you! LOVE your site! ~Linda
Great article! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I too am making a lot of changes this year, but started them back in December so I would have a bit of a head start. Made the New Year solidify those changes…
God is good!
Much in line with my thinkin’ for the coming year. I am doing much evaluating and trying to “listen” for God’s answeres as I stay in His word. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for posting this! I had never read Jonathon Edwards 70 resolutions but have always had great admiration and respect for the work that he did and the legacy that he left behind. This explains it better. He worked at disciplining himself in every area in order to be a more faithful follower of Christ. The Christian life is a blessed life, but only if we are willing to be obedient. It is hard work to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. No resting on our laurels. Christ certainly didn’t. But in that work in which we are also resting in God’s promises, we find joy and peace and rest.
It’s hard to be anything but joyful when you have grandchildren around tuggin at you! Thanks for the comment. Can’t wait to see your updated grandchildren picture.