Are New Years Resolutions Scriptural?

Well, I think the main reason that people fall off the wagon with resolutions, both spiritual ones and fleshly ones, is that we have the wrong motivation for them.

The motivation comes with the excitement of the new "thing", the new year and the anticipatory hopes that our lives will be newer, cleaner, and more productive. The anticipation for anything breeds hope - and by hope I don't mean the Biblical faith-like hope, but a tingly, in the flesh hope that has no power.

But resolutions - whether to get a better job or to eat better or to read your Bible more - takes actual WORK.

Work is mundane. I don't know too many people who get a tingly chill and thrill out of walking the pavements looking for that new job, eating a plate of steamed vegetables when they really want a pizza, or lying down to bed at night realizing they forgot to read their Bible and falling asleep reading Ezra 2.

The chill and the thrill on December 31 comes from the fantasy of dreaming our lives - even our spiritual lives as happier, stronger, prettier, wealthier, more productive, and more .... well, just more.

The reality sets in on January 2 that achieving the dream takes work.

And the dream crashes.

I don't believe that making resolutions is contrary to the Bible, but we need to remember that James said we shouldn't boast about tomorrow because it isn't guaranteed.

Maybe we should say, "if the LORD is willing, I will take each day one at a time and rejoice in each day because the LORD made it and seek to honor Him each day in everything that I do."

 

Depends. Did you choose to scratch the backside of your ear or did an itch draw you to scratch?

 

Then I'd say "yes," for you scratching the backside of your ear was scriptural. For others, only God knows.