The start of the new year is probably the most popular time for these wonderful things we like to call "resolutions."
I mean, it makes sense. The a new year seems like a good time to start new things, change old things, reinvent yourself, or continue to build upon who you're already becoming.
According to Merriam-Webster, to "resolve" something is "to reach a firm decision about." Which, when you think about it, is a bit ironic, when you consider that most resolutions, or "firm decisions," about changes we will make in our lives don't usually last beyond the end of January. But the idea of resolving to do something, of making resolutions, is still a good thing.
Firm decisions are the only way we make progress in our lives and grow. At some point, we all have choices in our lives to make, and if we constant flip flop back and forth between two different things, you cannot make progress. Your professional career can only progress to its highest potential if you make a decision to do one thing and stick with it. Your romantic relationships can only progress to the point of marriage if you choose one person and stick with them.
Similarly, our relationship with God can only make progress when we make the firm decision to follow Him and not look back.
For the last sermon of 2012, my pastor spoke on a passage in Psalm 119 and during the sermon, used the example of Jonathan Edwards to discuss the idea of resolutions.
Edwards was a preacher and theologian who lived in America in the first half of the 18th century. He is perhaps best known for his famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," and for his work in shaping the First Great Awakening in the United States. He went to Yale at the age of 13 and graduated as valedictorian at age 17. After several years of preaching and pastoring churches, and other work in ministry, Edwards became the president of Princeton University almost until his death in 1758.
Following his death, when people were reviewing they learned something even more remarkable about the man who left such a legacy on the Christian culture in American in the 18th century.
When Edwards was 19-years-old, he penned 70 resolutions. The first 34 resolutions were written in two sittings, some time before December 18, 1722 and the other 36 were written throughout the following years, the last one being completed in the summer of 1723. He would read all of the resolutions once a week, at the end of every month, and at the end of every year, and each week chose a few to focus on specifically and read each day. He studied the Scriptures to determine the areas in his life where he fell short, the areas in his life that needed to more Christlike, and he resolved to do things that made each and every moment of his life count for eternity.
The first of his resolutions reads like this:
"Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and the advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever."That was written by a 19-year-old. How many 19-year-olds who make resolutions like that at the start of every New Year? Or ever, for that matter?
Something interesting that my pastor pointed out was that Edwards didn't talk about his resolutions. These 70 resolutions weren't discovered until after his death. He didn't make them to another person, or even make them to God. He simply made them to himself and strove for the rest of his life to live up to those resolutions that he felt would make him the best representative he could be for Christ.
New Year's is a funny time. One the one hand, many people do make good resolutions that will have a positive impact on their lifestyle. But as Christians, I think we so often neglect to think about the most important aspect of our life — our relationship with God. We make resolutions to get in shape, manage our money better, read more books, or spend more time with our family.
And yes, sometimes we make resolutions to spend more time with God, read through the Bible in a year, become a better prayer warrior, or read more theological books. In our current culture, more than even I think we feel the need to broadcast our decisions to become a better Christian this year. "This will be my year," we say. "This will be the year that I get completely fired up for Christ." And I'm just as guilty as the next person of doing these things, but so often the follow-through is where we fail.
After listening to my pastor's sermon, I went online and read through most of Edward's resolutions. It's taken me a bit of time because, well, there are 70 of them. But with each one, I am amazed at the things this young man resolved to do. I am amazed at his awareness of his propensity for sin, his conviction of the work of the Holy Spirit, and his genuine desire to represent Christ every moment of the day every day of his life.
I didn't really make any definitive resolutions this year. I have some goals that I would like to accomplish in my general life, my writing career, and in my spiritual life, but they're things that I'm pacing myself with, focusing on different things at different times and not trying to make 1800 changes at one time.
But on top of those general goals, I have started to make some resolutions. Like Edwards, as I've considered my life and where I fall short in my spiritual walk through Scripture reading, prayer, and meditation, I've resolved to do some things. But I'm making those resolutions to myself, and no one else. I've written them down in my journal amongst my thoughts on life, quotes, Scripture verses and prayers and there they will remain, for my eyes only until I die (though I sincerely hope no one ever reads my journals after I die).
I hope that one day I can look back on my life, look back on the resolutions I've made and the changes that have come about as a result, and know that I have glorified God to the best of my ability. Because, really, that's the most important thing. Everything else will fall to the wayside in the end, but the glory of God will always remain and, as such, that is what we should striving for. That is where our resolve should be. That is where the changes should take place.
----------Photograph taken by me. All rights reserved.
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