New Year’s Resolutions for Christian Men and Women

He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Ephesians 2:7-9 NASB]

Statistics tell us that almost 90% of Americans make at least one New Year’s resolution. I, however, don’t like New Year’s Resolutions. On the surface it seems like such a great idea. As Christians we do believe in repentance, so the dawning of a new year should be a joyous thing to anticipate. However, as humans, we know our own failings. If we’re really honest with ourselves, most resolutions we’ve made in the past were already broken by Valentine’s Day, as were those of a majority of resolution-makers.

There is something flawed though with the concept of a New Year’s resolution on several levels, especially if we are Christians. First of all, waiting until a particular date to change really doesn’t make much sense. As Christians, we have an opportunity to repent and begin anew every single day. Doesn’t it seem like a better idea to make the change at the time it’s recognized as a need? Waiting only further ingrains in us the undesirable behavior while we’re waiting to make a change.

Read the rest of New Year's Resolutions for Christian Men and Women.