Pursuing God in the New Year!

 

            Many of you are probably thinking about New Year’s Resolutions or Goals.  Many of you, like me, are also probably thinking back over all the prior resolutions and goals that you failed to keep.  After all, only about 9% of those who make resolutions actually keep them. 

            Two of my repeating resolutions are to lose weight/get in shape and spend more time with God.  I’m guessing that these might be high on your list as well.  I can’t help much with the lose weight/get in shape, but I do have some pointers on intensifying your relationship with God. 

            First, you must make an intentional decision to surrender to God.  That’s not always easy because it means giving up control of your life and your decisions.  Since we are normally resistant to giving up control, we must face the fact that this won’t be easy.

            Secondly, you must be willing to commit your life and your future to Him.  That is a commitment that will have to be renewed daily.  You’ll have days when He gets lost in the busyness of life.  Don’t throw in the towel!  Ask for forgiveness and renew your commitment again. 

            Next, you must learn to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6).  You are resolving to focus your life on God and His ways.  Satan isn’t going to like that at all, and if you don’t gird yourself with God’s protective armor, you will be defeated before you start.

            As you become resolved to pursue God in the new year, make a plan.  What will your pursuit look like?  Will you set aside a special time for prayer and reading the Scripture?  Will you keep a journal of prayer requests and God’s responses?  Will you set aside special days for a personal retreat with God?  Will fasting be a part of your commitment?  There are thousands of ways to pursue God more intentionally but only you know what will work best for you.  Just make sure this isn’t a haphazard commitment but one that you have prayed about and sought guidance in making your plan.

            Finally, don’t attempt to pursue this resolution alone.  Find a trusted friend who wants to join you in this pursuit.  Make time to share prayer requests and to hold each other accountable to the commitment.  It will be amazing how much easier it is to pursue your goal when you know that someone else is going to be asking how you are doing. 

            While I don’t like referring to our pursuit of God as a habit, we must admit that our pursuit must become a way of life if it is going to be successful.  It generally takes at least 30 days for a habit to form.  To make this resolution a part of your daily living, you are going to have to commit to it daily.  Don’t despair if you miss a day or two.  Get back in the game.  God will be waiting for you, and I’ll be praying for you!  Let’s pursue God together!

James 4: 8a

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