A soldier unresolved to fight, may be easily defeated. Frequently renew settled and holy resolutions. The weakness of our graces, the strength of our temptations, and the diligence of our spiritual enemies—require strong resolutions.
Pithy gems from the Puritan Stephen Charnock (1628 – 1680), GraceGems.org
COMMENT
I can not speak for you, but 2025 was a hectic year for me, my family, and many of my close friends. We seemed to be in a never-ending cycle of tasks that had to be done but couldn’t be completed. That led to conversations about changing things for the New Year.
Common New Year’s resolutions are commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, and to spend more time with family. By far, the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating more healthily. These are all good goals to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things. This should not be.
What sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make?
Can Christians make New Year’s resolutions? Yes, but they must be God-centered (Colossians 3:17). Oh, and God will not “lead” you to do anything that does not agree 100% with His Holy Word.
That is why I chose the picture above; I think it represents that cycle very well. That picture has one significant flaw. Can you see it? Something is missing that would guarantee a resolution to the failure. GOD! How can anyone, especially professing Christians, expect to resolve to do something, anything, without God? Doing so is playing with the devil.
In 2 Peter 1:3-4, the Apostle clearly states that through God we have all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Why then do so many New Year’s resolutions fail? As noted above, leaving God out, failure to pray for His guidance, and failure to follow His commands are a recipe for defeat. We all have non-negotiable goals this year. Let us start the year right with prayer, seeking the Lord’s blessing and guidance in these matters.
PRAYER
I WILL WAIT FOR YOU TO LEAD ME
Lord, I am hungry for righteousness—but I cannot find it. And I hope this will be my concern forever: whatever becomes of me, I will reject unrighteousness. I pray that I will not meddle with it and will have nothing to do with it. Through your mercy I hope to keep that prayer forever in my heart.
Lord, if there be but one drop of mercy in me to show pity to others, is there not an infinite ocean of mercy in you?
And Lord, you who know the secrets of all hearts, you know the desire of my soul to know your will.
Whatever help you make known to me, I am ready to make use of it, that I may not be led aside into error. And if you are pleased to reveal your mind further to me, I am ready to submit to it. I would count it greater happiness than all the comforts the world can afford simply to know your mind.
But, Lord, as yet I cannot do this thing without sinning against you. You know it. Yet you also know that I want to walk humbly and peaceably with others, in all meekness, submissiveness, and quietness of spirit.
I will wait until you further reveal your mind to me. Your light will turn my spirit the way you want it to go.
—Jeremiah Burroughs
Jeremiah Burroughs, “I Will Wait for You to Lead Me,” in Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans, ed. Robert Elmer (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019), 29.
STUDY
Biblical resolutions demonstrate a purposeful commitment to righteousness and moral integrity. The psalmist swears an oath to keep God’s righteous ordinances, emphasizing a deliberate choice to hear, receive, love, and obey divine instructions (Ps 119:106). This resolute approach is echoed in other scriptural examples, such as David’s purpose to prevent his mouth from transgressing (Ps 17:3) and Daniel’s determined heart to avoid defiling himself by refusing the king’s food and wine (Dan 1:8). Job even went so far as to make a covenant with his eyes to avoid lustful thoughts (Job 31:1). The wisdom literature further advises maintaining focus by looking straight ahead, carefully considering one’s path, and avoiding deviation from righteousness by removing oneself from evil (Prov 4:25–27). These biblical resolutions underscore the importance of intentional, proactive spiritual discipline and moral commitment.
This synopsis is generated by AI from the results below. Check it for accuracy. LOGOS Bible Software
RESOLU´TION, n. [Fr. from L. resolutio. See Resolve.]
- The act, operation or process of separating the parts which compose a complex idea or a mixed body; the act of reducing any compound or combination to its component parts; analysis; as the resolutionof complex ideas; the resolution of any material substance by chimical operations.
- The act or process of unraveling or disentangling perplexities, or of dissipating obscurity in moral subjects; as the resolution of difficult questions in moral science.
- Dissolution; the natural process of separating the component parts of bodies. Digby.
- In music, the resolution of a dissonance, is the carrying of it, according to rule, into a consonance in the subsequent chord. Encyc.
- In medicine, the disappearing of any tumor without coming to suppuration; the dispersing of inflammation. Encyc. Coxe.
- Fixed purpose or determination of mind; as a resolution to reform our lives; a resolution to undertake an expedition. Locke.
- The effect of fixed purpose; firmness, steadiness or constancy in execution, implying courage.
They who governed the parliament, had the resolution to act those monstrous things. Clarendon. - Determination of a cause in a court of justice; as a judicial resolution. Hale.
[But this word is now seldom used to express the decision of a judicial tribunal. We use judgment, decision or decree.] - The determination or decision of a legislative body, or a formal proposition offered for legislative determination. We call that a resolution, which is reduced to form and offered to a legislative house for consideration, and we call it a resolution when adopted. We say, a member moved certain resolutions; the house proceeded to consider the resolutions offered; they adopted or rejected the resolutions.
- The formal determination of any corporate body, or of any association of individuals; as the resolutions of a town or other meeting.
- In algebra, the resolution of an equation, is the same as reduction; the bringing of the unknown quantity by itself on one side, and all the known quantities on the other, without destroying the equation, by which is found the value of the unknown quantity. Day’s Algebra.
- Relaxation; a weakening. Obs. Brown
Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).
Creators, Consumers, and Christ: 10 Social Media Resolutions
Trading One Dramatic Resolution for 10,000 Little Ones
SERMON
I can think of no better Biblical example of resolve than Ruth. She was allowed to leave and return to her own people, but she refused. Ruth was not a Jew, yet she was determined/resolved to accompany Naomi, her mother-in-law, home to the Israelites.
The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758
Edwards teaches that when those that we have formerly been conversant with, are turning to God, and joining themselves to his people, it ought to be our firm resolution, that we will not leave them.
Dated April 1735
Ruth 1:16, “And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
The historical things in this book of Ruth, seem to be inserted in the canon of the Scripture, especially on two accounts:
First, because Christ was of Ruth’s posterity. The Holy Ghost thought fit to take particular notice of that marriage of Boaz with Ruth, whence sprang the Savior of the world. We may often observe it, that the Holy Spirit who indited the Scriptures, often takes notice of little things, or minute occurrences, that do but remotely relate to Jesus Christ…
CONTINUED @ LINK ABOVE
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