My New Year’s Prayer 2.0 (or 2021.0)

Did you all survive this crazy COVID Christmas?  I hope and pray you found some joy in the midst of so many restrictions and “missing pieces.” 

I’m doing something with this week’s blog that I’ve never done in the two-plus years I’ve been writing weekly.  But first a little background.

Normally I’ve written the blog post a week or so in advance because I’m just not a “last-minute” type person. But maybe because it was the Christmas week, or maybe because I had a tearful week for a laundry list of reasons, I didn’t feel like I could write a post-Christmas blog until Christmas was over.

So I sat down just now with some vague ideas in my head for a topic, but nothing even close to clear leading this week. For some reason, I decided to see what I wrote last year at this time.  It happened to be New Year’s Eve in 2019 and that’s what generated last year’s post.

How many of you have ever been followers of Ann Landers?  She and her twin sister, Pauline Landers (aka “Dear Abby”), both wrote advice columns years ago and have since passed away.  They were Iowa natives, by the way, for those of you not familiar with that little bit of trivia.

Ann Landers had a tradition of running some favorite columns annually and that included one on New Year’s advice.  While I had no intentions of taking up that tradition, after reading last year’s post for this week, I decided the thoughts I shared some 365 days ago were still applicable today.  Some even more so because of the year we’ve all endured.

So, for at least THIS year, I’m reposting the blog from last year with a few additions/tweaks noted in bold print. Please forgive me this one time, but I do believe God has brought me to these words so that we can have one more shot at hearing Him speak to us!

Thanks for indulging me!  Here you go:

Are you all getting ready to put your New Year’s Resolutions down on paper?  Does that cause you just a bit of trepidation this time of year?  Because, of course, once you’ve written them down, you’re committed!

I’ve had MANY years of making and breaking resolutions as I’m sure we all have.  And lately I’ve had stress free January Firsts where I forego that tradition altogether.  I’ve learned to love those!

So I want to take a slightly different approach this year while still acknowledging that there are benefits to be gained by doing some self-examination and finding areas that could use some improvement.

But I don’t want to go the full resolution route.  I suggest we skip the old “I resolve to…

•             lose 10 pounds by _______.”

•             go to the gym 5 times a week.” (Maybe later this year!)

•             stop and visit grandma every week.” (Ditto!)

•             go on a date night once a month.”

•             ask for that promotion.”

•             read my Bible every morning.”

Of course, none of these are bad ideas – especially the “read the Bible” one.  I’m pretty sure God would be pleased about that one.

But I want to look at the meaning of “resolution” and then see if it’s really our best choice.   Here’s a pretty standard definition – “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” That fits our New Year’s Resolution scenario perfectly.

I must ask the question, “How successful are we, really, in achieving these resolutions in our own strength?”  Based on my own experience and some scientific studies, I’d have to conclude – not very.  One study suggests that only 64 percent of resolutions last longer than the first month, and only 46 percent last longer than six months. Even more discouraging is the statistic that only 14 percent of people over 50 actually achieve their resolution (Yikes!) compared to 39 percent of people in their 20s.

A bit dismal, wouldn’t you say?  So what should/could we do instead?  And why?

Let’s look at the “why” first.  I’d like to suggest that putting all the “resolution eggs” in the same “self-determination basket” may not get us to our goals.  In other words, in our own strength, we often fail to reach our goals. 

Scripture certainly addresses this as we see in these texts.

•             I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 NKJV).

•             But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Cor. 12:9 ESV).

•             My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26 ESV).

•             He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength (Isaiah 40:29 ESV).

I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather rely on God’s mighty power to work through me, than on my own measly attempts to reach my goals.  And don’t forget the power of the Holy Spirit living within the hearts of all believers, and empowering us with those all-important fruits.  Especially self-control!

So, I resolve (pun intended) this year to lift a prayer to God, asking Him to be in charge of the changes I need to make.  Let’s replace, “I resolve to…” with…

“Dear God,

Please show me the areas in my life where you want to affect change – physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually.  Give me the strength and self-control to achieve YOUR goals for my life. Forgive me for the times I stop trusting you or give up too quickly.  And in the end, remind me to give all the praise and honor to You when I’m successful. Amen”

This is MY prayer for me and it’s my prayer for YOU!  May God show us HIS will as we continue to navigate difficult times in 2021. Give us grace and kindness towards all.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11