Achieving New Year’s Resolutions – One Day at a Time

Over the last few days and weeks many people will have been preparing for new year’s resolutions. Some may have even had plans for months having decided to wait for the new year to start or stop something.

New Year’s resolutions are great and many people have changed their lives by using them as a launch pad. Very often in the Old Testament you will read of a momentous event, or planned annual events, being used of the Lord to spur on Israel.

However, a common statistic is that 92% of new year’s resolutions end in failure. I think one reason may be that the year long goal does not match up with daily living. You will no doubt have heard the saying that if you take care of the pennies the pounds (or dollars) will take care of themselves. With every goal it is the same. Great things are accomplished by hundreds of smaller actions and decisions.

The goal of being able to run a marathon may begin with being able to run just 1/2 a mile. And then it is about achieving daily goals.

The goal of learning a new language begins with the mundane process of learning simple words, rules of grammar and a lot of repetition.

The goal of losing weight is made up of hundreds of daily decisions about the input of calories and the output of energy.

And spiritually speaking, the goal of achieving a Bible reading schedule is met by reading a little every day.

While the Bible does speak of great, momentous events and annual celebrations, it also has a great focus on TODAY. Serve God one day at a time, and 365 days later you will have given a year to the Lord.

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24)

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (James 4:13-15)

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