Ringing in the New Year

     Good News Author, Linda Slomin, kicks off 2024 with a bit of clarity on a biblical view of New Year's Resolutions. For those of us making a resolutions list, this word keeps us walking inthe liberty of the Lord while pursuing our best potentials.
​     Linda is part of the Good News Christian Authors Mentoring Team at PWP.

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It’s a new year!

With confident anticipation we look forward to what the Lord has for us in 2024 as individuals and as a church body! The Lord created the seasons, seed time and harvest, and new beginnings.  

With each new year comes New Year’s Resolutions:

• “This year I’m going to read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.” 
• “This year I am going to walk in love towards that family member who’s really hard to love.” 
• “This year I am going to avoid breads and sugars so that I can be healthier and lose weight.” 

​Ugh! In all honesty, New Year’s Resolutions rarely seem to work even when our heart motives are good. Why is this true? Because we put ourselves under the law about the changes we hope for.

​When we make something a law we are under a curse.

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written:
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 
​Galatians 3:10 NIV

Perfectionism creeps in and we beat ourselves up the first time we fail. Discouraged, we give up on the whole thing and ignore the good intentions we had because we feel condemned when we can’t follow through.

​Our defeat is assured if we depend on ourselves for change in our lives, excluding the Lord. His Word reminds us in John 15:5 that apart from Him, we can do nothing.

Instead of a New Year’s Resolution this year, where you hope to “change” something about yourself, consider the simple value of growth in an area of your life. Change is an end result of growth.

Ask the Lord what areas of growth He would have you focus on and pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in that area. With Him leading you, victory is assured!