Why I’m Changing How I Do New Year’s Resolutions

As we usher in a brand new year, many of us are thinking about our New Year’s resolutions.

I’ve never really been too keen on making these because inevitably I am gung ho for the first week or two and then I slip up, I crash and burn and I ultimately fail…again. By February, I’m not feeling any different than I did the previous December 31 and I stuff my crazy notions that somehow this year will be more productive, more fulfilling and that I’ll be skinnier and healthier than ever before. I hate those blasted resolutions!

UGH.

This year I’m thinking about trying something entirely new. I’m thinking about choosing one scripture verse from the bible to be my focus for 2016. From this verse I will be able to set a few goals, develop some hopes and dreams and try to mold and shape my life around it. I think it might be cool to have a different verse every year to focus on. I challenge you to do something similar as we kick off a brand new year.

This is proving to be much more difficult than I imagined when I set out to start this. It’s a little daunting and overwhelming to choose just one verse out of the nearly 800,000 words in the bible. And depending on the day, or even the time of day, different scriptures mean different things to me. What I was struggling with last week is very different than what I’m struggling with today so it’s hard to choose just one verse that will apply to the entire year. I need to be careful to not overthink this!

I want to choose a verse that’s broad enough to cover a multitude of events throughout the year so I can apply it in many different ways, yet I want a verse that’s specific enough for me to focus on as well. If it’s too lofty I won’t be able to dig in and really apply it.

I’m tossing around several different ideas. I’d like to love on and find ways to serve others better and with more regularity- to put their needs and wants and desires before my own… I’ve been struggling with trusting God in all circumstances lately and need to remember to “lean not on my own understanding…” And I could also focus on not letting any unwholesome talk come out of my mouth- while I don’t struggle with cussing, I can be overly critical, especially in my speech at times… There’s so many choices…

So I’ve been praying the past few days for clarity and then like a flash of lightening, it hits me!

I’m going to focus on being more thankful in 2016!

I need my heart and my head to wrap around gratitude this year.

Our lives have been pelted with many trials, tragedies, losses and uncertainties the past couple of months and I’ve let myself focus more on the negative things surrounding me than on the many blessings that I’ve been given in the midst of these difficult and stressful times. I don’t want to feel so bogged down. I think if I can choose to see the little glimmers of hope and joy in my daily life, and voice that I’m grateful that God has allowed me to experience those little things, I’ll change the way my heart and head are processing the other things going on around me. I want to stop feeling so negative. I don’t want to get caught up in a pity party, shaking my fist at God and wondering why so many things are happening that I don’t understand. I want to treasure the good things that are happening all around me and I want to be truly thankful for all He has done for me and for what He promises to do for me in the days to come

So, my verse for 2016 is going to be 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Notice how the scripture says, “…in ALL circumstances…” I really struggle with the ALL part. In 2016 I’m going to try to stop picking and choosing what I’m thankful for. We’re expected to be thankful for everything- even when we don’t understand or when our prayers seem to go unanswered or when we get news we don’t like or when a door seems to close abruptly. That’s going to be my focus this year.

If you decide to follow my lead and do something similar for 2016 will you share the verse you’re going to focus on with me? I’d love to hear from you.