About Those New Year’s Resolutions . . .
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
– Psalm 51:10-12
Well, here it is. A brand-new fresh year. Do you feel any different? Try to recall what it was like a few (or a lot of) years back, when you first managed to stay awake long enough to welcome in the new year, perhaps falling asleep in front of the TV or listening to a broadcast in bed, just to hear the countdown followed by “Happy New Year!” And there are people cheering, singing, dancing, tossing confetti, and then . . . what? It does seem that something of significance should occur at the stroke of midnight, but in reality, the party winds down and the guests go on their way. So what are we really celebrating?
The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions has been around for a very long time, and I’ll admit I don’t know the origination of the practice. At the beginning of a new year, many of us feel that it’s an opportunity to start over, or to succeed at something that’s been a struggle. Often times, resolutions are something of an “I Should Do” list, and we feel a sense of accomplishment just by organizing our plans..
Resolve is a good, strong-sounding word, and it got me to thinking about similar words – renew, refresh, restore, repent, all of which are used in various contexts in both the Old and New Testaments. The Psalms are filled with prayers asking God to help us change our sinful nature and to re-create a new and willing spirit that will keep us in his presence.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus preached a message of the endless nature of our heavenly Father’s love. We fall short of perfection each and every day, but if we repent and ask for his mercy, God will hear us and will restore us to a right relationship with him. Repent does not just mean being sorry; rather, it means to turn around, to turn back to God, and to change one’s whole attitude and mindset.
This, then, is what we could consider to be the difference between a resolution and the experience of being renewed and restored. The first is a human plan, which may or may not succeed. The second is a gift from our heavenly father, and he gives us not only understanding, love and forgiveness, but also his creative power, which restores and renews our brokenness. And there is no limit on how many times this gift is given, because there is no limit to God’s grace and love for his beloved children.
Happy New Year!
Mary Rogers