All of us have made New Year resolutions, and all of us have broken them too. Many times our resolutions are abandoned before the sun goes down on January first. And I believe that very often we make New Year’s resolutions that have little to do with our spiritual well-being and our walk with God. Today I have been thinking about 2022 is year for spiritual growth. Let’s not call them resolution, because resolutions seem made to be broken. We’ll call them out spiritual goals for the new year.
Here are a few goals:
1. Read at least one chapter from the Bible every day.
It seems that when I read the Bible every day. I always find things I didn’t notice before. When we are looking when are looking for answers, we find new questions that we have never thought to ask. This is a good thing because we may find ourselves to deep deeper into the scriptures to find the answers and in the process find more questions. But every moment our minds are occupied in the way. God is working on us. And slowly but surely, the changes come. Ephesians 6:17 says that the sword of the spirit is the Word of God. The Bible is our weapon to defeat the lies of the devil. But how can we use it if we don’t know what it is? How will we know it if we don’t read it?
2. Pray for wisdom every day.
A lot of things we pray for, God says no, because we ask for things that will hurt us. But this is one thing we can be assured that He will say yes to, if we have faith.
If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asked, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.
James 1:5-7
Wisdom is the key to si many of the good blessings God wants to give us in the new year
If we have wisdom, we won’t make bad decisions that gets us wi to trouble.
If we have wisdom, we won’t waste time and energy worrying about things we can’t change. If we have wisdom, we won’t say stupid and hurtful things that cause stress to ourselves or others.
If we have wisdom, we won’t bite off more than we can chew.
3. Look for an opportunity to help someone every day.
I truly believe that if we are looking for it, God will constantly send us people we can help. When we help people, we are sharing the love of Christ.
When we help people we are becoming more like Christ.
When we help people, we are helping to rid ourselves of the selfishness that steals our joy.
Here’s an example: a few weeks ago, I was busy doing errands in town. I was tired and just wanted to be done. I was stopped at a stop sign. I lady was walking behind me. As I pulled away from the stop sign she started running after my car. My first thought was to get away from this lady. Was she crazy? Why was she chasing my car, I then had an unction to stop and roll down my window. She said her friend was very ill and needed a ride to her house. So I told her to get in and we drove to her friend’s house. That day I was able to help her and her friend. If I hadn’t stopped. The lady’s friend would been in danger. Sometimes we are so busy thinking about ourselves, we don’t notice what other people are struggling with,
Some people have a saying “God helps those to help themselves.” I believe the more accurate saying would be, “God helps those who helps others,”
I tell you the truth, what they did for one of the least of these brothers in mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40
There are always people who want to take advantage of our goodwill. And this takes up back to the previous goal. We must be wise. There’s a temptation just to stop helping altogether because there are so many scam artists. As Christians, we must be willing to help those who are truly in need. We just have to use our heads, and the wisdom that God gives us.
Look for the opportunity to help someone every day.
4. Say to yourself every morning. “Jesus could be coming back today.
We always know this in the back of you minds. I purpose that every day we force it to the front of our minds.
If we keep this truth before us every day, our priorities will be different. This is was Jesus said:
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. (Mark 13:35)
Let us not forget that even if Jesus doesn’t return for another 100 years, we all have an appointment to meet Him much sooner than that.
From Pity to Praise 