How many of you made New Year’s resolutions this year? (Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to reveal any specifics. That could get a little embarrassing.) Researchers tell us that about a third of Americans do make New Year’s resolutions. Not only is it traditional, it’s human nature. When we pass a significant milestone, it’s natural to pause and take stock of our lives; evaluate how we’re doing. And the areas people resolve to change are fairly consistent: lose weight, exercise, quit smoking, get organized, reduce debt, spend more time with family. Predictably, memberships in Weight Watchers and health clubs increase in January, while the sale of alcohol declines.
Now, how many have already broken your resolutions? If it’s any consolation, that’s also traditional. The experts tell us that most people’s good intentions don’t last more than a few weeks. And so, by February, everything is pretty much back to normal, that initial surge of enthusiasm and willpower only a fading memory. At best, maybe ten percent succeed over the long haul. And so you’re in good company. But why is that? Why do our resolutions collapse so quickly? Several reasons:
People often underestimate how difficult it will be to change; they forget that "old habits die hard". They set unrealistic goals, and when they fail at those, they get discouraged and give up altogether.
Or, they lack a means of monitoring their progress. They have a genuine desire for change, but they never make any specific, practical plans for how they’re going to fulfill that desire. And so it comes to nothing.
Or, they simply lack the commitment and perseverance that are needed for fundamental change.
All this is why a lot of people don’t make New Year’s resolutions, or any kind of resolutions for that matter. Why attempt something that’s doomed to failure? Why pretend that change is possible when experience tells you it’s not; when you’ve tried and failed, time and again? They may consider resolution-making to be an expression of naïve optimism, or hypocrisy, or just a waste of time, but in any case, they see it as pretty much a pointless exercise. Something to make you feel good about yourself in the short term, but which serves no real purpose.
My goal this morning is to examine whether making resolutions is a good thing. More specifically, whether this practice can be spiritually beneficial for us as Christians. Is this something we should consider doing, not just out of a general desire to improve ourselves, but with the specific goal of maturing in our faith and growing more like Christ. If so, then how can we be successful at it; how can we avoid the high failure rate of so many resolutions?
I’ll start by saying that there is nothing inherently good, or praiseworthy, or pleasing to God about making resolutions. Or keeping resolutions. Self-improvement, in and of itself, has no value in God’s eyes. And therefore, God is not impressed when a non-Christian, by the exercise of his will, manages to lose weight, or control his desire for nicotine, or restrain himself from cursing. Why? Because his basic orientation is one of disobedience rather than obedience; one of rebellion rather than submission. His controlling purpose in life is not to serve and honor God, but rather to serve and honor himself, or someone or something other than God. And that’s sin. It’s idolatry. It’s refusing to give God his rightful place at the center of our lives, and instead, giving that place to another; whether it’s a person, or an idea, or a project, or a thing. Here’s how Paul describes the unbeliever in Romans chapter three:
"as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." – Romans 3:10-12, ESV
A person in that state cannot do anything to please God, no matter how much he cleans up his life. It’s impossible. Because his motive for doing even "good" things is not fundamentally to glorify God. And that’s what matters. The heart. As Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "without faith it is impossible to please Him . . ." (Hebrews 11:6, NIV). Not difficult. Impossible.
And again in Romans, we read this:
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." – Romans 8:6-8, NIV
Those who are without faith, those who don’t have the Spirit of God in their lives, cannot please Him, no matter what they do. Until they repent and believe the gospel, no amount of self-improvement will make any difference. Again, in Proverbs fifteen we read this:
"The LORD hates the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright." – Proverbs 15:8, NLT
How does God respond when a person who is without saving faith makes some personal sacrifice, or performs some act of worship, or even attempts to keep the Ten Commandments? Is He pleased that they are at least making an effort, taking a step in the right direction? Does it make Him more favorably inclined toward them? No. Not at all. The Bible says that God "hates" their sacrifice. Their acts of so-called righteousness are what the prophet Isaiah calls, "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). Why? Because they are not in a right relationship with God. And therefore, nothing they do, not even their acts of apparent sacrifice or goodness, can spring from fundamentally right motives. What they need is for God to change their heart. Until they repent of sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness and eternal life, nothing they do can please God. What God requires of them, and of us, is repentance:
"The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise." - Psalm 51:17, NLT
I mention this because, even as Christians, our self-improvement can be of no value. Our motives for self-improvement can self-centered instead of God-centered. In fact, the desire to better ourselves can actually be a hindrance, spiritually, if it’s done out of wrong motives. Attempts at personal change that are driven by self – self-will, self-reliance, self-sufficiency – will only distance us from God. Even if they are successful. In fact, especially if they’re successful. A resolution to lose weight or stop smoking, if it’s driven by pride, won’t bring you any closer to God. Just the opposite. Even a resolution to be more diligent in spiritual disciplines, like prayer and Bible reading, can be detrimental and counterproductive, if it’s pursued in a spirit of self-righteousness; if it represents an attempt to merit God’s favor by works. The only resolutions which please God are those which are undertaken with an attitude of dependence on him, in a spirit of humility and faith, and whose purpose is to honor, and glorify, and exalt God rather than self. So we need to careful; we need to keep watch over our hearts. Self-improvement, per se, is not the goal. Honoring God with our lives is the goal.
Having said that, I believe there is spiritual value in making and keeping resolutions. Not resolutions to lose weight, or exercise, or be more organized. Those may have some value, but what I’m talking about are resolutions that concern our relationship with God, and our lives as followers of Christ. As an example, I’ve printed off the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards [see illustration 1]. Edwards was a pastor and theologian in the early 1700’s. The language is a bit archaic, but it gives you an idea of the kind of resolutions I’m speaking of. I encourage you to read these over, meditate on them, and consider whether God may be calling you to adopt, or to adapt, some of these as your own.
So with these cautions and examples in mind, let me give you some reasons why I believe that making and keeping resolutions can be spiritually profitable.
First, it reminds us that spiritual growth is not something which happens automatically, but something that requires planning and intentional effort. Listen to these verses:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." – Hebrews 11:6, NIV
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13, NIV
God will not be known by those who approach him aimlessly, or indifferently, or casually, or half-heartedly. Some people think that knowing God should be easy. That developing a relationship with the creator and sovereign Lord of the universe should require nothing more strenuous than showing up for church and listening to an occasional sermon. In other areas of life, we understand that having things of value requires work and dedication. Yet in the realm of the spirit, we expect good things just to drop into our laps. But that’s not the way it works. Like anything else of great worth, knowing God requires diligence, and labor, and sustained effort. As Paul instructed Timothy:
" . . . Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe." – 1 Timothy 4:7-10, NIV
Knowing God is the primary purpose of our lives. It’s what we were made for. But it isn’t something that just happens. It requires that we "train ourselves". And the process of making and keeping resolutions can be a part of that training process.
Second, resolutions affirm the truth that God wants us to grow, and change, and mature. They declare our hope and faith in God’s promises to transform us. They remind us that making progress in the spiritual life is not only possible, but normal and expected. It’s normal that, over time, we should become more joyful, and patient, and kind, and gentle, because those are the results of the Spirit’s work in our life. It’s normal that our faith should become stronger, that our love for God and for one another should become more fervent. It’s normal that the things we desire and value and treasure should come to reflect what God values and not what the world values. It’s normal that we should increasingly live to serve, rather than be served. It’s normal that we should grow in holiness, that our conduct and speech and heart attitudes should become more Christlike. As Paul wrote:
". . . we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." – 2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV
We are being transformed into the likeness of Christ! I like the way the New Living Translation renders this verse: "… as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory more and more." That’s the goal. Again, Paul writes,
"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy . . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." – Philippians 1:6, NIV
Being a follower of Christ means that you keep learning, and keep growing, and keep changing your whole life long. It’s a journey that will be complete only when Christ returns. Until that time, we are all works in progress. Making a resolution to change means that you embrace this process of transformation as God’s purpose for your life, and that you trust in His power to accomplish it. It’s an act of faith. That’s the main difference between our resolutions and those of the world. Theirs are accomplished by willpower. But ours are accomplished by God’s power. Listen to these verses:
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." – Romans 12:2
"[C]ontinue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." – Philippians 2:12-13
"Be transformed" – by who? God. "Work" – "for it is God who works in you". Yes, we work. Yes, we "labor and strive". The Christian life requires every ounce of strength and perseverance we possess. And yet our faith is not in ourselves or in our power, but in God and his power. Even as we are working, and laboring, and striving, our dependence is on Him rather than ourselves.
Third, resolutions stimulate us to think, to consider what it means to be godly. If godliness and spiritual maturity were things that just happened to us, then all we would have to do is sit back and wait for God to act. But that’s not the way it works. Spiritual growth requires that we engage our minds; that we read, and study, and think, and labor to understand God’s ways.
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" – Hebrews 10:24, ESV
What are we being called on to do here? To "consider", to think – about how we can be channels of blessing to one another. To evaluate carefully what each person needs, whether encouragement, or praise, or comfort, or practical help. And then to do it. In other words, we’re to think about what it means to act like Christ in our relationships with other believers, and then do it. Paul says much the same thing:
"And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you." –Philippians 4:8-9, NLT
This is the process we’re talking about in a nutshell. "Fix your thoughts," "think about" what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and admirable, and excellent, and praiseworthy. In other words, think about what it means to live a God-honoring life. Consider what kind of conduct is pleasing to Him. Meditate on what it means to be like Christ, who is himself the epitome of all these things – truth, honor, purity, excellence. And then put your conclusions into practice. How do you do that? By identifying character traits that reflect these qualities, areas you need to grow in, and then putting them into practice, by God’s power and grace. By thinking about what it means to be godly, making a resolution to become like that, and then following through, to the glory of God.
Fourth and finally, resolutions are spiritually beneficial because they stimulate us to prayer. You cannot attempt to make positive changes in your life without soon realizing that you don’t have the power to do so. Not if you’re serious about it. For when you really begin to seek, in earnest, to become more patient; or when you really undertake to curb your critical tongue; you find that you can’t do it. You become more impatient than ever, more harsh and more critical. As soon as you attempt to put to death some sin, you find that it is far stronger and more deeply entrenched than you ever imagined. It refuses to go quietly, but instead rages and fights and struggles and digs in its heels. As long as you leave your sins alone, they are relatively quiet, and it’s easy to think of them as rather weak and docile. But as soon as you identify a sin by name, and make a resolution to evict it, and start to attack it, you find that your supposedly docile little sin is far stronger, and more deeply embedded in your heart, and more difficult to root out than you ever dreamed possible. And so you have a choice. You can give up – tell yourself that it’s not such a big deal; that many other people live with this particular "flaw"; that there are more pressing issues to deal with. Or, you can pray, and seek God’s power. And that’s the great value of making a resolution. If you are keep at it, and refuse to give up, you will eventually be driven to prayer. You will find that your power is not sufficient, and you will realize that your only hope is in the power of the Holy Spirit. And God willing, that will drive you to prayer.
All right then; how do we do it? What does the process look like? Let me suggest, briefly, five steps to follow.
First, pray, asking God to show you where you need to change. Don’t make a resolution until you are convinced it is God’s will, and you can support it with Scripture. Don’t just sit down and make a list of good things to do. Make sure it’s what God is calling you to do. And don’t overshoot. Start small, with perhaps one or two. Continuous, incremental change is the goal.
Second, write down your resolutions. Think about how you will carry them out. Make a plan.
Third, pray and ask for God’s enabling power. Bathe the whole process in prayer. Remember that it’s not just a matter of you deciding to change, but it’s God who is working in your life to make you more like His Son.
Fourth, review your resolutions on a regular basis. Decide on a schedule, whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly. Monitoring your progress is key to success.
And fifth, don’t give up. Keep struggling, and striving, and suffering. Don’t be discouraged by short-term failure, but keep at it until you see change taking place. If you need to revise your resolutions, then do so, but don’t abandon the process.
By now, you probably realize that we’re talking about more than just New Year’s resolutions. What we’re talking about is how we grow spiritually. And my thesis is that spiritual growth requires intentional, sustained effort. We can call it making resolutions; we can call it planning; we can call it taking a spiritual inventory; we can call it self-examination; we can call it anything we like. But I’m convinced that if we want to grow in Christ, we need to do it. I’m also convinced that if we will do it, God will richly bless our obedience and faith.
(For an .rtf file of this and other sermons, see www.journeychurchonline.org/messages.htm)
