We won’t have WNL this week, but I wanted to take an opportunity to talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Here are just a few quick thoughts for you as you begin goal-setting for 2012.
1. Set specific, measurable, and realistic goals. So often people want to set goals, but do themselves a disservice by setting goals that are too general, not measurable, or not realistic. Goals must be specific. What specifically are you wanting to change? If your resolution is to “do better,” what specifically are you wanting to improve upon?
Some of you want to set the goal, “Get closer to God.” What does that mean? In what ways will you be closer to God? Does being closer to God entail greater obedience? More Bible in-take? More prayer? What specifically are you wanting to change?
Another goal people typically set this time of year is “lose weight.” My encouragement to you is to define how much weight you’d like to lose. Will you have achieved your goal if you lose 1 pound? 10 pounds?
Another common mistake is to set goals that cannot be measured. At the end of the year, you have to be able to tell if you have achieved your goal or not. Back to the “closer to God” example, how will you know in December of 2012 if you are closer to God? Make your goal measurable.
Your goal must also be realistic. Many well-meaning people set goals that are unrealistic for them, and in so doing end up quitting before January even finishes. Definitely stretch yourself, but at the same time ask the question, is my goal realistic?
If you are not a good reader, and you set the goal to read 24 books in 2012, you probably are setting yourself up for failure. You know yourself. What is difficult yet achievable with a little hard work, and what is impossible?
2. Make a game plan. Once you set your resolutions, develop a game plan. How are you going to achieve your goal? What do you want your change to look like in December 2012? What steps do you need to take between now and then to get there? Write it down. This is like your road map to success.
3. Set checkpoints throughout the year. Once you have developed a game plan, make sure that you set checkpoints throughout the year to evaluate yourself. You might want to do a self-evaluation in March. How far along am I? Am I as far as I need to be? If so, what am I doing that is helping me succeed? If not, what am I doing (or not doing) that is preventing me from success? A few months down the road, ask yourself these questions again. Setting checkpoints will help you achieve your goal by making sure your road map is leading you in the right direction (and making sure you are even on the map at all!)
4. Do not forget God’s grace. Most importantly, remember who you are in Christ. Even though your sin was so great, God loves you so much that He sent His most valuable treasure, His Son, to die on your behalf. While you and I were still sinners, Christ died for us. If you are in Christ, you are His child. Here’s what that means…
You can’t do anything in 2012 to make God love you more. He already showed you how much He loves you by sending His Son to die for your sin.
You can’t do anything in 2012 to make God love you less. Jesus Christ has paid for every single one of your sins on the cross. God’s wrath was satisfied on that day. Your failings in 2012 will not cause God to love you less.
So relax in God’s grace. Seek self-improvement for the glory of God. But relax knowing that your heavenly Father already loves you and will work with you to bring about lasting change in your life.
