New Year’s Resolutions: Resolutions & Convictions

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one” ~Matthew 5:37

New Year’s Resolutions

“Every movie stars a female.” Is that true or false? When I wrote that in my college paper for a film class, I don’t think I actually believed it was true; I was making a quick and easy generalization, one I felt my professor would overlook…famous last words. In the margins, he wrote a list of films off the top of his head that do not feature any females. Below the list, he wrote, “Avoid making generalizations.” Even though that innocuous comment was made many years ago, I’ve never forgotten it and made a point never again to make a generalization.

Pay attention to what you hear; you’ll hear more generalizations than you realize. It’s easy to do; therefore, we must be thoughtful with our word choices if we want to avoid them.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions at the start of the New Year. I make at least one every year. Last year, I wrote down nine under three categories: Easy, Medium, and Hard. How many do you think I accomplished? Make sure not to give me too much credit because I think I only accomplished one.

If we’re not intentional, our resolutions can become like generalizations: quick, easy, and even just off the top of our heads. That’s why I want you to pay less mind to your resolutions and more heed to your convictions. Our convictions come from the Holy Spirit. When we feel convicted by God to do something and do not do it, that is a sin. I pray this is a year where you do not shrug away the promptings of the Holy Spirit; instead, remember, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13) so when we start all over next year, you can be confident in Christ’s words, “Well done my good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23).

Always improve the present moment.