Why I Don’t Make New Years Resolutions

Folks! Today I had a post I wanted to write, then realized I’d already written the post – back in January of 2015. So, I looked it up, tweaked it a bit to fit the current state of my life, and here you go:
My New Years Resolutions for 2015: None 
 
Resolution ~ A firm decision to do or not to do something. 
 
I often make resolutions: I’m going to be more thankful, I’m going to eat less sugar, and so on and so forth. I don’t make New Year Resolutions though, because there doesn’t seem much point to that. I mean, why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? 
 
 
 
Goals, though? Goals are a whole other story. 
 
Goal ~ The object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result. 
 
I am a delighted believer in having goals. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that where there is no vision, the people perish. We weren’t created to wander aimlessly through life. God created us with purpose and I think we’re most content when we’re in sync with the life God meant for us to live. 
 
A goal should be specific, measurable, written down and have a deadline. If you don’t have these four qualities, then you have a dream or a wish, not a real, concrete goal. Studies have shown that you’re 42% more likely to complete a goal if you’ve written it down, amazing, isn’t it? 
 
Let’s say I have the goal to Vlog regularly this year (2018). Now that’s a great thing to do, but not an actual goal. It’s so open-ended that it just ends up being a wish or a dream. Once I add specifics, then it becomes a goal: In 2018, if the Lord wills and I live, I’ll vlog once a week.
 
Having a goal is like having a target. 
 
Take a moment and imagine you and a prize-winning archer are having a competition to see who can hit a target in the least amount of tries. That seems unfair; surely the trained professional will win, right? But now picture this: You take the archer, tie a blindfold around his eyes and spin him around for thirty seconds, then he has to try and hit a target that he can no longer see. That’s crazy, right? I mean how can you hit a target when you don’t even know where it is? 
 
Or imagine getting in your car to go on a trip. If you don’t have a clue where you want to go, how do you know what to pack? What to prepare for? That might be fun for a few days, but not for a lifetime.
 
That’s how a lot of people meander through life. They wander aimlessly; recklessly throwing away their potential by not focusing their efforts on a target, a goal. 
 
The second part of Luke 12:48 says From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. I have been entrusted with a lot. I have a host of people I interact with on a daily basis, I have a God-given talent for writing, and I have all the blessings of living in America where I don’t have to spend my entire life working the ground just to grow enough food to keep me alive. 
 
My life is bursting at the seams, opportunities, and choices abounding. It is my responsibility to seek God’s will for my life and actively listen to godly counsel and then run in the right direction, giving God my everything. 
 
We all have 24 hours each day. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds. Some of us will use those seconds, minutes and hours to bring God glory and make them count for the good of eternity. Others will whittle them away, wasting them with little thought of what could be. Here’s the exciting thing, though: No matter what you’ve done up until this time, you can change and begin making your life count!
 
Y’all, life is exciting! God has an amazing plan for my life and I’m thrilled to watch it unfold right before me. There are several things I feel called to at this time, and almost everything I do each day correlates with at least one of these overarching aims in life. 
 
This year (2015) I have seventeen main goals that are broken down into six categories: Spiritual, Mental, Physical, Business, Financial and Writing. Each one of my goals (big or little) should directly or indirectly tie in with my lifelong purpose, which is to love God with all my heart and to use my life to give glory to Him. 
I believe goals are important because they help me streamline my life and propel me in the direction God has set for me. Matthew 25:23 says, His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord. This is what I want to hear one day, and I know my goals are helping me draw closer to being the person who God wants me to be.
Isn’t that an exciting thought? 

13 thoughts on “Why I Don’t Make New Years Resolutions”

  5. Pingback: Sharing the Love – My Favourite Christmas Posts by Other Bloggers.
    • Lydia Howe says:
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      I read your blog post from my phone and really liked it. I tried to comment but couldn’t figure out how to, so I just tried again from my computer, but sadly I’m somehow missing it. #oops But still! Really cool post, good job with it!

      Like

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