resolutions

 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:11 (ESV)

 

Hello friends, it is the 2^nd week of January, how are you doing on your resolutions?
I used to make resolutions, sometimes I would do well keeping them and other times they were a miserable failure.
For a while I was of the mindset of “why make a resolution that I am going to break?”
So, for 2025, I did what every Christ follower should do when there are questions, and I turned to the Bible.
OK, to be honest, I turned to the internet first, where I found a website called Desiring God.
This caught my eye as I read author Jon Bloom’s article Your Most Courageous Resolution where he said, “Resolutions are good things. They’re biblical: “may [God] fulfill every resolve for good” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). And I think developing New Year’s resolutions is a very good idea. A year is a defined timeframe long enough to make progress on difficult things and short enough to provide some incentive to keep moving. . . Resolves are intentions with strategies attached to them. You don’t just hope something is going to happen; you are planning to make it happen. To be resolved is to be determined.”
Oh boy. 

I didn’t make any resolutions for 2025.
Switching gears, I listen to The Message on Sirius XM radio when I am in the car and in the office, and last week on the morning show I heard the top 5 resolutions to make (and keep) and 2025:
1. First thing every morning, open your Bible before you open your phone. 

2. Forgive proactively: Forgive others before they ask for it.
3. Express gratitude regularly. 

4. Look for opportunities to support others.

5. Prioritize quality time with loved ones.
Wow. 

Ok, five is a lot, especially 13 days into the year, but what if we picked just one?
I have a good friend that wakes up an hour or two early, specifically to spend time reading his devotional(s) and the Bible.
I’ve been working on number three and five for the last couple of years, I need to work harder on number 5.
My friend said this practice has made a difference for him, I’m not even sure if it was a “resolution” or just a thing he decided to do.
I know when I find things to be grateful for, I find happiness a lot faster. 
I definitely need to work harder on number 5. 
Pick one, and resolve to think about it every day, see if it makes a difference for you.
   

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Daily Inspiration from the Bible