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We have again come to that time of the year when people make promises to stop bad habits, and start good ones. The older we get, the less optimistic we become that we will actually stick to our new plan for more than a few days. One response is to quit making New Year's Resolutions. A better solution is to tap into a power source beyond human effort. In other words, God's strength is available to His people to even help us fulfill New Year's Resolutions.
To be balanced, let me note that human effort has its place. Rarely does someone quit smoking by prayer alone, although prayer often helps. Going to church may not help you lose weight, but a life of faith can make you feel better about yourself which can lead to health benefits.
II Cor. 5:17 says, "If anyone is in
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Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" The Bible calls the followers of Jesus Christ to radical transformation. C. S. Lewis has said, "Jesus did not come to make bad people good, or good people better, but to make dead people alive." The Bible calls the faithless person, spiritually dead, until they invite Jesus Christ to be Savior and Lord. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is the start of a transformation.
In many ways, we as Christians should set the example of how to make New Year's Resolutions work. God has given us new strength in Jesus in order for us to make healthy changes. Our bodies are called temples of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19) and God is for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. May God bless us all with a healthy 2006!
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