A new year, a new beginning, and a fresh start—isn’t that what we all love about the beginning of January? It’s a time to refresh, re-charge, and make changes as we reflect upon the previous year. But this New Year, I’m taking a much different approach than my usual—I’m making no resolutions, and here’s why.
In my devotional, New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp, I was reminded of something very simple about character and personal transformation—“…the transforming work of grace is more of a mundane process than a series of a few dramatic events…You and I live in little moments, and if God doesn’t rule our little moments and doesn’t work to re-create us in the middle of them, then there is no hope for us…You see, the character of a life is not set in two or three dramatic moments, but in ten-thousand little moments. The character that is formed in those little moments shapes how we respond to the big moments of life.” This “small-moment” grace has great impact on our lives.
John 1:16 says, “For from His fullness we have all received grace, upon grace.”
How beautiful? From this passage and these reminders, I decided that I’m not creating a long list of resolutions and goals, but instead, I’m inviting God into the moments of 2017. I pray my heart is humble and expectant, in every moment I breathe this year, to Him and what He has in store for me.
To be very clear, setting goals and making changes is a part of life. Being self-aware of our strengths and weaknesses is vital to our own individual growth. However, the motivation behind goal setting and change making needs to be from the Lord. If you are setting goals, I challenge you to ask yourself if God is guiding you (it would break my heart to see you devote your time and energy to something that didn’t matter). I have a lot of goals I’d love to accomplish, but I feel strongly that the Lord is telling me to live each moment with Him, and to be present and intentional in my walk. As each moment happens, and I experience that “small-moment” grace, He will guide and refine me. Oh grace, how amazing?
Goodbye 2016—you taught me a lot.
Hello 2017—through God’s grace, you’re going to teach me more.