Six Ways to Make Courageous Resolutions that Last
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
I recently found this quote on Pinterest (Author unknown):
“Your entire life can really change in a year. You just gotta love yourself enough to know you deserve more. Be brave enough to demand more and disciplined enough actually to work for more.”
Are you looking to make any changes in the new year?
I usually avoid making resolutions on New Year’s Eve, and instead, have, with the help of God, found my own timing for growth and change. Every year, in August, as we are getting ready to start the new school year, God gives me a word to focus on. This year, my word was “obey.” I have spent the past five months focused on listening to God and obeying what he has asked of me.
One area God has had me focused on listening and obeying Him has been my diet. The Pinterest quote above stuck out to me because it hit on three areas God transformed my heart, so I could be in obedience to Him.
- You just gotta love yourself enough to know you deserve more. – When we are self-critical and put ourselves down, we are disrespecting what God created. I am learning to love myself as God loves me.
- Be brave enough to demand more. – I had to learn to demand more from my flesh and trust in God’s strength to do what I thought was impossible. God made me brave enough to face my fear of hunger and taught me how to renew my mind with His truths.
- Be self-disciplined enough to actually work for more. – God has shown me self-discipline causes me to make the right choices that lead to positive results. Seeing the positive results inspires me to work for more.
“What I say about people, I say about God. This is true whether I am demeaning other humans or myself. Even inward, self-loathing insults my Maker, in whose image I was created,” – Julian Freeman
All of this started with a decision to be obedient to God in my health. These six things have helped me steel my resolve for continued change in 2020.
- Before starting, pray about what God wants you to focus on and see if He doesn’t surprise you with some insight that deepens your desire to pursue change and growth.
- If you are starting a new plan for something you have struggled with in the past, take time to look back at what did not work. Look for ways your past failures can guide you toward a new path for your future success.
- The flip side to this concept is to take inventory of the growth you have had this past year and see if you need to continue working on what is already working for you. Don’t ditch last year’s momentum to try something different just because. Often our resolutions need to be about maintaining or pushing further into an area where we are already experiencing growth.
- Know your “why” so you don’t get off course. It is easy to get off the path and give in to the lies of the enemy. Do any of these statements sound familiar?
- I’ll never be able to change or overcome this addiction/problem/situation.
- I might as well quit now; failure is imminent.
- I need a break.
- I deserve a break.
- I already broke my plan; I might as well enjoy myself.
- I am tired of trying; I will give up.
- I will start again tomorrow.
These are the lies that keep us in bondage to our flesh. Make sure you know your “why” before you start a new plan. When you know your “why” (the reason you made your resolution in the first place), you can begin responding to the lies with truths. Take the time to write out your why and keep it where you can access it easily.
“When you know your WHY, you’ll know your WAY.” – Michael Hyatt
- Prepare some strategies to confront the lies. I like to ask myself these questions when my resolve waivers:
- Is the long term gain worth this short term sacrifice?
- Will taking a break solve your problems? Or cause a new problems?
- Does your future success require adherence to these boundaries? Why not stick with them today?
- Will continued disobedience give you the relief you are hoping for?
- If not today, then when?
- The best way to avoid failure is to renew your mind with God’s Word. Try to renew your mind with one of these verses every time you fall away from your plan.
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts.” Romans 13:14
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:11
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” Psalm 3:3
“Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1-2
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for me?” Jeremiah 32:27
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
“and not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Click HERE for a free printable of these Bible Verses
Let us now pray over our resolutions, knowing that we may make our plans in our hearts, but it is the Lord who establishes our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
Heavenly Father, we bow before you as the Lord of our lives and the Master of our ways. We ask for your blessing upon our resolutions this year and pray we will walk closely with you as we listen and obey your commands. We know it is in the submission of our flesh that we will experience true freedom. The freedom from sin that you so graciously died on the cross to make way for us to be free from. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
One Comment
Carolyn
“Before starting, pray about what God wants you to focus on and see if He doesn’t surprise you with some insight that deepens your desire to pursue change and growth.”
I feel like this happens to me all the time! He’s always surprising me by changing my plans for the better!