Have you’ve decided to make any changes in 2016?
A lot of people make New Year’s Resolutions only to give up before January’s calendar has run out of numbers. Is it me or does it seem that resolutions don’t seem to stick?
Through the years a focus of my ministry has been to help people live “WholeHearted” lives towards Jesus. I know that people do honestly desire to get out the rut they often find themselves in, they just don’t know how. The key is learning to focus on Jesus day by day, moment by moment.
All of that being said, January is a great time to make a fresh start – we examine our life, find the parts we don’t like (our body, our habits, our failures) and we decide it’s time to stop. Often our problem lies in we don’t replace that issue with something else. If we’re going to be successful at seeing true change come with the new year it is necessary to prayerfully work with God. If we don’t, when we get week our old habits just reappear, sometimes worse. It reminds me of this story from Matthew.
Here are some thoughts to get your mind and heart engaged to have a better and deeper 2016:
- What area of your spiritual life needs growth? Be honest with yourself. How can you improve that? Set a daily goal for it. For example: bible reading is inconsistent? Don’t set out to read the whole bible in a year, rather, set a shorter goal. Maybe a week long reading plan. When you complete it, celebrate it and then immediately begin another. As you get more consistent go with a longer plan. Apply this thought wherever you need growth.
- Make prayer a greater part of your life. Start your day by praying before your feet hit the floor. Offer your day to God, ask Him to fill you with Himself. Whatever you currently pray, increase it. Here are a couple of suggestions: Pray using the word A.C.T.S. 8 Ways to Pray Hour of Prayer
- Begin to journal your prayers. Writing your prayers are not only a great way to express your feelings, needs and prayers, it is also a great reminder of the way that God answers prayers. When you go back and read old entries you remember what you were dealing with. Journaling is not natural but it is SO beneficial.
- Get an accountability partner. You need someone going down the same path who knows what you are dealing with; someone who knows your goals and you know theirs. A person who isn’t afraid to hold you accountable when you are slacking. Daily encouraging text messages, a weekly talk about it over food or even online.
- Forgive. Bringing your unforgiveness into the new year is a sure-fire way to NOT have a better 2016. Forgive and forget isn’t possible, but forgive and forgive and forgive is. A new freedom for a new year is by forgiving those who have wronged you.
There are so many things that you could do, these are just 5 that I believe to be helpful. What changes have you decided to take on this year? What are you replacing that issue with? How can I pray for you?