Incomplete New Year's Resolutions
- Jan 1, 2015
- 2 min read
A New Year always seems to bring opportunity for a new start, renewed discipline, and personal growth. Many families will spend time this week setting goals and resolutions, or writing out prayers for the New Year.
Many of these will focus on the physical health of ourselves and our family.
How many of your goals for 2015 for you or your family have to do with the physical?
Lose weight?
Quit Smoking?
Cut back on sweets or sodas?
Exercise more often?
All of these are respectable desires. Scripture also affirms the importance of physical discipline, while giving examples of prayers for physical health.
In his third letter, John writes to Gaius, saying, "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul" (3 John 2).
He prays for good health.
But he doesn't stop there.
He also prays for his soul.
Paul also shares this perspective of a temporary value for the temporary (physical), and yet, an eternal value for the eternal (spiritual).
Paul reminds Timothy, "Bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
How many of your goals for 2015 for you or your family have to do with spiritual health?
Allow Christ to strengthen your prayer life?
Begin to enjoy reading the Scriptures?
Fellowship with the church family more consistently?
Lead your home in Family Devotions?
Use your spiritual gifts to serve?
Ask someone to disciple you?
Begin discipling someone else?
Memorize Scripture?
Find ways to love the least of these?
Allow Christ to lead you to a season of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration?
Ask Jesus to purify your mind?
As you and your family talk about your prayers for 2015, don't just focus on the physical needs of the home. Spend this year allowing Christ to mature the hearts of your home.
Jonathan Williams is the founder of Gospel Family Ministries and the Senior Pastor of Wilcrest Baptist Church, a multi-ethnic church of 44 nations located in Houston, TX. He and his wife are blessed with three wonderful children.
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