RESOLUTIONS

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin,” (James 4:13-17, NASB).

Few things in life are accomplished by accident, which is why it’s important for us to make specific resolutions. However, in our planning, we should always seek the Lord’s guidance and not simply aim for our own earthly ambitions.

Whenever a new resolution comes to mind, we should consider whether it is in line with God’s will. Some topics may be scripturally clear, but many are not, so we must also examine our motives. Are we seeking to please God or ourselves? Are we pursuing money, power, or self-advancement without considering its pitfalls? Does a desire for holiness and God’s glory influence our plans?

What’s more, we must hold our resolutions loosely in case God, in His providence, changes them. As Christians, we are servants of Christ and should readily yield to Him. So if our plans are upended, we must ultimately trust the Lord’s goodness, omniscience, and wisdom because He alone knows the best path for us.

Remember, the Lord is much more interested in our spiritual growth than in our temporal success. If our resolutions are truly of God, they will advance our maturity as a Christian. So we must evaluate them honestly, with a willingness to let them go.

Jeff