…Another reason I don’t like New Year’s resolutions is they overemphasize the importance of a ‘new year.’ The ritual makes it seem like a fresh start happens once every three hundred and sixty five days. According to scripture, we can get a fresh start anytime.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9)
What is a New Year’s resolution? It’s a vow to either begin doing a good thing we have neglected to do or cease doing a bad thing. Our resolutions admit our shortcomings. We acknowledge the flaws in ourselves. We publish the things we ‘need to work on’ in our lives. What is that if not a confession of sin?
Of course, I’m over-stating the significance of New Year’s resolutions. We all understand that our resolutions are just a fun list of good intentions. Nobody expects us to actually follow through on the pledge to change. We all understand that change is hard. It’s not the end of the world when we don’t keep our resolutions, right?
Well…It’s true the world doesn’t end IMMEDIATELY when I munch a left-over Christmas cookie after I resolved to cut sugar from my diet. God maintains control of everything despite my constant attempts to create chaos. His faithfulness allows me to survive the poor decisions I make every day. God’s grace is so reliable, I take it for granted. I assume everything will be okay even when I do nothing to address my list of sins….er…I mean ‘resolutions.’
Whether or not you’re on board with me about resolutions being a list of sins, we’ve still got to contend with the next verse in 1 John:
“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
(1 John 1:10)
There may be no immediate consequences to breaking a New Year’s resolution, but I don’t think that makes it okay to show those vows such little regard. We are supposed to be imitators of God. We are commanded to do what what we say we’re going to do. We are to keep our word. The uncomfortable truth is that breaking New Year’s resolutions makes us liars. Lying is undeniably on the ‘Big Ten List of Sins.’
I’m a big fan of fresh starts. I’m not a fan of waiting a whole year to start over. We can erase our mistakes instantly by simply confessing them to God. Resolving to do better is something that should happen daily (sometimes hourly).
3 Responses
I completely disagree that the breaking of a New Years resolution is a lie. Lying is a willful deception. When I make the resolution I have every intent on keeping it, so if I break it I wasn’t lying, I just failed in my desire to change this particular habit. Out of the mouth flows the desires of the heart. I think I read that somewhere. So the desire of my heart can be to lose 10 pounds. If I fail I wasn’t lying when I expressed that desire.
I confess I despise New Years Resolutions…with a passion. It makes me anxious that if I mess them up, someone will be waiting…around the corner…ready to pounce…and attack…accusing me of being a liar and a fraud. I can’t take the pressure. I’d rather continue to just keep trying than to make a promise. I’m grateful for grace.
I often joke that “resolution” is a Latin word meaning “something I know I should do but have no intention of actually doing.”