G. Allen Bonner, II, DPC, LPC
If you’re like me, January 1 came out of nowhere.
The New Year is most often synonymous with new starts and in theory, New Year’s resolutions are a good idea. I mean, who wouldn’t want to make a fresh start and change something negative in their lives to something positive?
Some people I know have made resolutions for 2020 and they’re killing it. That’s great! Some made resolutions and have already faltered. That’s ok! Some of us weren’t prepared to make any resolutions so we might think, “Well, guess I’ll just wait until next year since I’ve already messed up at the start”. Don’t be discouraged! Whether we’re doing well with creating change, have already made a mistake, or haven’t even felt like we had the time to develop a plan- we can, at any point, take some time to be proud of what we’ve accomplished and continue on our road to improvement!
Sticking to a resolution or a plan can be tough. Why is that?
- Are the goals too high?
- Do we lack the skills needed to implement the new plan?
- Are we trying to do it all on our own?
- What was the motivation behind the resolution?
These are all important questions to ponder, but the most important question to ask ourselves (and to talk to God about) is, “What is God’s will for my life this year?” Usually resolutions focus on ourselves, and that’s normal. People want to lose weight, or to become healthier, or to exercise more. Some people want to have a deeper relationship with God by praying and reading their Bible more consistently, and others want to mend a broken relationship. The list goes on and on.
God wants us to find joy, and we all need to make a conscious effort to become better versions of ourselves. Whichever area we want to improve, we need to do so in relation to what God wants for our lives so that His will is done. Conquering a resolution requires effort and moving in the direction of God. He loves us and wants us to seek after Him- put feet to our prayers and not have faith in man or the ways of the world. If we only look within ourselves for power, strength, and guidance, we will not meet our resolutions.
Let’s take a look at what scripture says.
Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Proverbs 16:9 ESV The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
So is it too late to have a New Year’s resolution? Absolutely not.
How do you create a successful resolution?
- Focus on God
- Be willing to put in the effort
- Make a realistic and measurable plan toward your goals
- Love yourself enough to forgive mistakes
- Get back up if you fail
When planning, we need to dissect our goals into attainable objectives. In order to move into a positive direction, we have to be specific with our objectives and create goals in such a way that we can see accomplishment. There’s an old saying, “We can only eat the elephant one bite at a time.” I’m not sure why anyone would want to eat an elephant, but the analogy makes sense. We’ve got to avoid setting lofty goals which set us up for failure. Change takes time, planning, effort, endurance, and prayer. With God, all things are possible! It’s important to have people around to root you on toward change! We can help! Make an appointment today and get the right people in your corner! 601-268-8796
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