4 Questions to Consider When Making a New Year's Resolution
Congratulations and Happy New Year! We made it another trip around the sun! For many, this holiday marks a season of reflection and goal setting; dreams of what this year could hold, challenges we want to overcome, things of our past we want to leave in the past. It’s why New Year’s Resolutions are such a big thing. The New Year for many marks a fresh start, a chance to change and be the “new you”.
Did you know that there are four questions every person will ask at some point in their life? Two of these questions are at the heart of making New Year’s Resolutions. As we consider what goals/dreams we have for the coming year, whether you use these words verbatim or not, to make a resolution, you are answering these questions in one way or another for yourself. The first question is, “Why am I here?” or in other words, “What is my purpose in life?”. Is your purpose to look good, or get rich, or to be happy? Is your purpose to be a good person and do as much good as possible? However you are answering this question, either consciously or subconsciously, will affect what you resolve to do in the next year.
Which leads me to the second question: “How then shall I live (in light of my purpose)?” If your purpose is to look good, you might resolve to lose weight. If your purpose is to get rich or be successful, maybe you set a goal to achieve in your business endeavors. Is your purpose to be a good person? Maybe your resolution will have something to do with the number of times you want to volunteer this year, or to start attending therapy. For those who have determined their purpose is to be happy, maybe you resolve to ditch your toxic relationships. There are so many different types of resolutions to be made, but they all stem from the first question I mentioned: “Why am I here? What is my purpose in this life?” Oh snap! Did you realize making a New Year’s Resolution was so deep and personal to your identity?
As you sit and reflect on the past year and look forward to the coming year, don’t miss the opportunity to dig a bit deeper and realize what’s driving your goals and ambitions. Knowing your own answer to these questions will help you to set meaningful goals that you will want to achieve. When your goals are tied to the core of your being, you will be much less likely give up on them.
This is all fine and dandy, but what if I don’t know my purpose? What if I’m not sure how I would answer those questions for myself? Or what if I thought I knew the answer, but now I’m afraid I’ve gotten it wrong? The truth is, everyone of us takes multiple stabs at defining those answers for ourselves and every one of us gets it wrong multiple times. It’s not until someone helps us to see and understand the true answers to these questions that we ever get them right.
And that’s the point of this article: we can know the answers to those questions for certain!
Each person, no matter what walk of life they come from or are living in, can know for certain what their purpose is and how to live in light of that purpose. But before we get ahead of ourselves, do you remember at the beginning of this article how I said there are FOUR questions everyone will ask of themselves at some point in their lives? I’ve given you two already. But before we can answer those two, we have to answer the first two: First, “Where do I come from?” and second, “Where am I going?”
Where do you come from? The Bible, God’s written word to all people, tells us that each and every person was created by the good and loving Creator God. He created all things, heaven and earth, all plants and all animals, and man and woman. And he made each of us in His image, to reflect His goodness and glory among all of creation. (Remember that sentence! It’s important and we will come back to it!) What’s more, God lived among man and woman, and they were all at peace together and lived in unity. Which leads me to the next question.
Where are you going? The Bible says that God created everything, and it was good. There was no bad in all of the world. He created a perfect world with no pain or suffering or tragedy. (Now here’s where the story gets gloomy but hang in there with me. It’s dark, very dark, for a minute, but it’s well worth reading to the end! The darkness doesn’t last!) So, there they were living in God’s perfect world in perfect peace and harmony. But mankind sinned and broke this perfect worldly infrastructure. When sin entered the picture, along with it came suffering and selfishness, sadness and heartbreak. And because God is holy (perfectly wonderful and good), He had to separate Himself from mankind and its sin. Because of sin, we (mankind) can no longer live with God. We are no longer at peace with God. In fact, He has promised that one day, He will put an end to this world and that all who sin (which is every single one of us) will be cast into Hell, where we will suffer eternally. That is where each of us is going.
EXCEPT, (and this is a BIG EXCEPT!), God has made a way so that we do not have to suffer eternally away from His presence! We can be reunited with him and be free from sin and all its tragic effects. God sent his only son, Jesus, to live a perfect life on our behalf and to die the death we deserve because of our sin. And in an otherwise unpredictable turn of events (had God not told us it was going to happen through the prophets beforehand), after he died, Jesus rose from the dead, proving that He is God and that He has defeated death once and for all. (There’s a whole lot more explanation and detail on this in the Bible, but I’m giving you the CliffsNotes version so we can get back to our four questions and our resolutions). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, all that is required of us to be restored in our relationship with God is for us to believe that Jesus was God’s Son sent to die for us and that He rose from the dead. If you believe that statement, God has made you new and has restored your relationship with Him. He has promised you eternity with him.
So, getting back to our four questions, technically, there are two real ways to answer them. Only one of options applies to you; it’s up to you to determine which one.
Option A: If you believe Jesus was the Son of God who died for you and rose victoriously, here are your answers.
Option B: If you do not believe Jesus was the Son of God who died for you and rose victoriously, here are your answers.
Let’s circle back to those New Year’s Resolutions. Remember that how you answer these four questions directs what kinds of resolutions you make. For those under option B, you can resolve whatever you want. Until your heart desires to fulfill your God-given purpose, all your efforts will be futile anyways. Your accomplishments will be washed away like shifting sand. In the end, it will all be for not.
But to those of you who find yourself under Option A, you know your purpose: Make much of Him who has saved you! And there are so many ways to do that. If you have newly come to faith in Christ, maybe you resolve to learn more about Him this year. Maybe you resolve to find a church to attend, or you resolve to read one of the gospel accounts in the Bible. Maybe you still resolve to lose weight, but it's rooted in a desire to honor God with your body and be a good steward of what He has given you instead of simply wanting to look good. Maybe you resolve simply to reach out to someone who can help you know more. (I know anyone in our church would be thrilled to help you out).
If you have trusted in Jesus for a while now, your resolutions may look a little bit different, but the purpose behind them is the same. Maybe you resolve to lead a Bible Study for new believers. Or maybe you are a musician, and you resolve to write Christ-honoring songs. Maybe you resolve to share the gospel with one new person each week. Maybe you resolve to not complain about work because you want to shine a bright light in your workplace. There are an infinite number of things you can resolve to do, and you should choose one that aligns with your particular giftings and circumstances. The important thing is that at the heart of your resolution, your desire is to honor the One who has bestowed eternal blessing and purpose upon you. Praise be to Him!
_____________________________
If you would like to learn more about what the Bible says in regards to these 4 questions, we would be happy to talk to you. Please email us at info@thewaysgf.com
Did you know that there are four questions every person will ask at some point in their life? Two of these questions are at the heart of making New Year’s Resolutions. As we consider what goals/dreams we have for the coming year, whether you use these words verbatim or not, to make a resolution, you are answering these questions in one way or another for yourself. The first question is, “Why am I here?” or in other words, “What is my purpose in life?”. Is your purpose to look good, or get rich, or to be happy? Is your purpose to be a good person and do as much good as possible? However you are answering this question, either consciously or subconsciously, will affect what you resolve to do in the next year.
Which leads me to the second question: “How then shall I live (in light of my purpose)?” If your purpose is to look good, you might resolve to lose weight. If your purpose is to get rich or be successful, maybe you set a goal to achieve in your business endeavors. Is your purpose to be a good person? Maybe your resolution will have something to do with the number of times you want to volunteer this year, or to start attending therapy. For those who have determined their purpose is to be happy, maybe you resolve to ditch your toxic relationships. There are so many different types of resolutions to be made, but they all stem from the first question I mentioned: “Why am I here? What is my purpose in this life?” Oh snap! Did you realize making a New Year’s Resolution was so deep and personal to your identity?
As you sit and reflect on the past year and look forward to the coming year, don’t miss the opportunity to dig a bit deeper and realize what’s driving your goals and ambitions. Knowing your own answer to these questions will help you to set meaningful goals that you will want to achieve. When your goals are tied to the core of your being, you will be much less likely give up on them.
This is all fine and dandy, but what if I don’t know my purpose? What if I’m not sure how I would answer those questions for myself? Or what if I thought I knew the answer, but now I’m afraid I’ve gotten it wrong? The truth is, everyone of us takes multiple stabs at defining those answers for ourselves and every one of us gets it wrong multiple times. It’s not until someone helps us to see and understand the true answers to these questions that we ever get them right.
And that’s the point of this article: we can know the answers to those questions for certain!
Each person, no matter what walk of life they come from or are living in, can know for certain what their purpose is and how to live in light of that purpose. But before we get ahead of ourselves, do you remember at the beginning of this article how I said there are FOUR questions everyone will ask of themselves at some point in their lives? I’ve given you two already. But before we can answer those two, we have to answer the first two: First, “Where do I come from?” and second, “Where am I going?”
Where do you come from? The Bible, God’s written word to all people, tells us that each and every person was created by the good and loving Creator God. He created all things, heaven and earth, all plants and all animals, and man and woman. And he made each of us in His image, to reflect His goodness and glory among all of creation. (Remember that sentence! It’s important and we will come back to it!) What’s more, God lived among man and woman, and they were all at peace together and lived in unity. Which leads me to the next question.
Where are you going? The Bible says that God created everything, and it was good. There was no bad in all of the world. He created a perfect world with no pain or suffering or tragedy. (Now here’s where the story gets gloomy but hang in there with me. It’s dark, very dark, for a minute, but it’s well worth reading to the end! The darkness doesn’t last!) So, there they were living in God’s perfect world in perfect peace and harmony. But mankind sinned and broke this perfect worldly infrastructure. When sin entered the picture, along with it came suffering and selfishness, sadness and heartbreak. And because God is holy (perfectly wonderful and good), He had to separate Himself from mankind and its sin. Because of sin, we (mankind) can no longer live with God. We are no longer at peace with God. In fact, He has promised that one day, He will put an end to this world and that all who sin (which is every single one of us) will be cast into Hell, where we will suffer eternally. That is where each of us is going.
EXCEPT, (and this is a BIG EXCEPT!), God has made a way so that we do not have to suffer eternally away from His presence! We can be reunited with him and be free from sin and all its tragic effects. God sent his only son, Jesus, to live a perfect life on our behalf and to die the death we deserve because of our sin. And in an otherwise unpredictable turn of events (had God not told us it was going to happen through the prophets beforehand), after he died, Jesus rose from the dead, proving that He is God and that He has defeated death once and for all. (There’s a whole lot more explanation and detail on this in the Bible, but I’m giving you the CliffsNotes version so we can get back to our four questions and our resolutions). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, all that is required of us to be restored in our relationship with God is for us to believe that Jesus was God’s Son sent to die for us and that He rose from the dead. If you believe that statement, God has made you new and has restored your relationship with Him. He has promised you eternity with him.
So, getting back to our four questions, technically, there are two real ways to answer them. Only one of options applies to you; it’s up to you to determine which one.
Option A: If you believe Jesus was the Son of God who died for you and rose victoriously, here are your answers.
- Where do I come from? You were created by God.
- Where am I going? You will be reunited with God in eternal joy.
- Why am I here? You were created by God to reflect His goodness and glory among all creation (remember that sentence I told you to hold on to!).
- How then should I live? Live in a way that glorifies His name and reflects His goodness.
Option B: If you do not believe Jesus was the Son of God who died for you and rose victoriously, here are your answers.
- Where do I come from? You were created by God.
- Where am I going? You will be eternally separated from God, cursed to suffer endless torment.
- Why am I here? You were created by God to reflect His goodness and glory among all creation. To deny that doesn’t change that it is true. You can self-define whatever purpose for yourself you desire, but it will always fall flat until you accept the only true purpose you have been created for.
- How then should I live? If you choose to deny the purpose for which you were created for, if you deny Jesus as your Savior, you should go ahead and live your best life now; it only gets worse from here. Do whatever makes you happy and comfortable now. But know that this life is very short on the spectrum of eternity.
Let’s circle back to those New Year’s Resolutions. Remember that how you answer these four questions directs what kinds of resolutions you make. For those under option B, you can resolve whatever you want. Until your heart desires to fulfill your God-given purpose, all your efforts will be futile anyways. Your accomplishments will be washed away like shifting sand. In the end, it will all be for not.
But to those of you who find yourself under Option A, you know your purpose: Make much of Him who has saved you! And there are so many ways to do that. If you have newly come to faith in Christ, maybe you resolve to learn more about Him this year. Maybe you resolve to find a church to attend, or you resolve to read one of the gospel accounts in the Bible. Maybe you still resolve to lose weight, but it's rooted in a desire to honor God with your body and be a good steward of what He has given you instead of simply wanting to look good. Maybe you resolve simply to reach out to someone who can help you know more. (I know anyone in our church would be thrilled to help you out).
If you have trusted in Jesus for a while now, your resolutions may look a little bit different, but the purpose behind them is the same. Maybe you resolve to lead a Bible Study for new believers. Or maybe you are a musician, and you resolve to write Christ-honoring songs. Maybe you resolve to share the gospel with one new person each week. Maybe you resolve to not complain about work because you want to shine a bright light in your workplace. There are an infinite number of things you can resolve to do, and you should choose one that aligns with your particular giftings and circumstances. The important thing is that at the heart of your resolution, your desire is to honor the One who has bestowed eternal blessing and purpose upon you. Praise be to Him!
_____________________________
If you would like to learn more about what the Bible says in regards to these 4 questions, we would be happy to talk to you. Please email us at info@thewaysgf.com