Well, it’s the time of year and the day when many will make a resolution to live life differently in the new year than we did in the present year.  Of course, I heard yesterday the top 3 resolutions that most make are:  Lose Weight — Get healthy, stop smoking, and stop cursing.  I’ve also been told those resolutions only last approximately a month or until you’re are cutoff in traffic (whichever comes first)!

Now, I also understand some may not be “resolution makers.”  That mindset is usually because you don’t want to miss a goal or you don’t like to set yourself up for a potential disappoint or you just think the whole idea is dumb!  Trust me, I hang out with enough cynical people to know there are many who just roll their eyes anytime this subject is brought up.  Quite frankly, looking at the statistics of how often resolutions are kept my cynical (err “skeptical”) friends have every defense towards their response.

Anyway, I don’t really care if we are resolution makers or not.  The truth is God isn’t finished with any of us and hopefully we aren’t finished with Him.  So, if that’s the case this time of year just happens to be a good time to make a fresh start or a restart and it gives us a reason to look and see where God might be moving, growing, or maturing us.

So, here’s 4 resolutions I think we ought to all consider:

  1. Live with a Greater Awareness to what God is doing — We ought to wake up each morning uttering the simple prayer, “God, help me to see where you are at work and give me the will to work alongside of you.”  I’m convinced many of us don’t see so much of what God is doing and we unfortunately reach the false conclusion that God is idle.  He isn’t.  He’s present and active and if we will see that we will have the opportunity to let His will be done here on earth just as it is in Heaven.
  2. Pursue Generosity — That probably means we need to stay faithful (or become committed) to getting out of debt and returning our tithe to God.  It probably also means we need to live with a more open handed spirit towards our possessions and finances.  I’m convinced too often we cling to our materials far more than we clutch to our faith that God will provide.
  3. Pray more — This really goes back to the first item in our list.  If we’re going to live with a greater awareness of God it ought to in turn lead us to a greater frequency of prayer.  By saying that realize I’m not talking nearly as much about speaking to God as much as I am listening to Him.  Scripture tells us God’s voice is quiet and still.  So, in a world that is filled with noise (i.e. computers, conversations, ipods, cell phones, and more) it’s going to take intentionality and frequency until it becomes natural.  Just think of it like this:  15 years ago a cell phone was for necessity and emergency; now we don’t leave home without them.  What was once “unnatural” has now become a part of our nature.
  4. Find someone and love, serve, and lead them — It could be someone at work.  It could be someone in your neighborhood, your small group, your circle of friends, or even someone you won’t even meet until 2009, but God will or has put them in your life because His desire is for you to love, serve, and lead them.  You may not feel qualified or capable.  You may not be sure how to do it.  All of that’s “ok.”  It’s why items #1 and #3  above are so critical.  God is already out ahead of us.  So, we need to pray and look and listen because He has told us (all of us — yes, you too) when we will ask . . . we will receive, when we will seek . . . we will find, and when we will knock . . . doors will be opened.

So, there’s a list to consider and my pervading thought is, “What if 1000 people make those resolutions?  Will it matter?  What if 100 people make those resolutions?  Will it really count?  What if 1 person makes a commitment to seeking to fulfill those resolutions?  Will it make a difference?”  YES!