Who writes a new year piece few weeks past the new month of the new year? Well, it happens. Sometimes we get tired of being unfaithful to the resolutions made every year and as a result, making new ones feels like another waste of time.
Why make new resolutions when I couldn’t stay true to the previous ones? This is true for those who are honest to themselves. I used to have a long list of resolutions in the form of goals, plans and targets every year. Unfortunately, at the end of the year, not every item on my list gets checked off. For this reason, we find ourselves recycling the same goals year after year. For Christians, this cycle can be especially disheartening, as our spiritual resolutions seem to falter despite our best intentions.
However, the beauty of God’s grace is that we are continually invited to realign our hearts with Him. So, whether you achieved all you wanted or not, you mean so much to God.
I won’t be talking about the resolutions to make but how to get intentional and stay true to the spiritual, financial, health, relationship and other goals you probably have written down in that journal. So here are a few tips that could help you do what you have set out to do.
Set your Priorities right:
Just as the saying goes that “no one is ever too busy to attend to something, but that people attend to what’s important to them.” This is true. I want to look at your resolution list (if you have one). What is that one thing or those things that are important to you? What are your favorites? Rearrange them in order of priorities. As friends of God, He should be top on your list. Then other things can follow.
Now, how do I stay true to Him? Be intentional! It’s common to resolve to spend more time in God’s Word, but without a plan, this goal often fizzles out. Be intentional about your business, career, and relationship with family and friends.
- Set Realistic goals
No one knows you better than you. So, while setting goals, be realistic. Do not set ambiguous plans. For instance, set a Bible reading plan that works for your schedule, even if it’s just one chapter a day. Pair it with journaling or prayer to reflect on what God is teaching you. Remember, the goal is not perfection but consistency—spending time in His presence regularly will shape your heart. If it’s a study goal, try the one page or one chapter a day tactics and gradually grow from there.
Strive to maintain consistency. It is how consistent you are in doing a particular thing that makes it a habit or lifestyle. Whatever you set aside to do, do it for 21-30 consecutive days and it gradually becomes part of you.
Malcom Gladwell in his book Outliers explained that to gain mastery over something, you have to do it for 10,000 hours. So, after making it a habit, to master it, you have to practice for 1,042 days which is equivalent to 4.8 years. Setting reminders and allowing for some phone application notifications can help you build consistency.
Prayer is the foundation of a strong relationship with God, but it can easily become an afterthought. This year, whether it’s whispering a prayer while commuting, setting aside a few minutes in the morning, or praying with your family in the evening, consistent communication with God will deepen your connection to Him.
- Seek Accountability and Fellowship
Growth often happens within a community. Instead of doing this year alone, resolve to be intentional about building relationships with other believers. Join a small group, participate in Bible studies, join physical or online book clubs, or find an accountability partner. This helps a lot. These relationships will encourage you to stay on track and offer support when you feel weak. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
- Serve Others
Jesus modeled servant leadership, and one of the best ways to grow spiritually is by serving others selflessly. This year, resolve to step out of your comfort zone and look for ways to bless others—whether it’s through your church, your community, or even simple acts of kindness. Share what you have learned or what you are learning with someone. Serving shifts your focus from yourself to others and allows God’s love to flow through you.
Thinking on Tech.: Technology is advancing. It has brought and is bringing many software and applications around us. They actually make life easier and help us organize ourselves. You can upskill and upgrade yourself in any area of your choice with some mobile applications. Let me share an application that has come in handy for me lately.
“Through The Word” – This is a Bible application that helps me stick to my Bible reading and study goals. It allows me to take a personal tour through all Bible books in an audio format. I can also create a community of and discuss various topics such as relationships, marriage, leadership, faith talks, fear, peace, etc.
Duolingo helps me to learn any language, music and more.
Allison and Coursera allow me learn new skills to up my career and tech game.
With social media apps you can advertise your small business, up your digital evangelism game and even meet up with people who can help you achieve your healthy living goals.
The good thing is they assist you to set notifications based on your schedule.
- Be grateful for little achievements
It’s easy to focus on what we lack rather than what God has already provided. Practice gratitude daily. Keep a gratitude journal or start each prayer with thanksgiving. When we cultivate thankfulness, we learn to trust God’s provision and find contentment in His plans, no matter our circumstances.
Do not rely on your strength, lean into God’s grace and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. It is through Christ that we can do all things – those resolutions included. Remember God’s promise to us. “He who began this good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
May we stay true to ourselves and faithful to our resolutions. And remember, the little steps you take every day is what makes it happen.
Michael Okuneye is a certified Facilitator with Lead like Jesus and also the African Representative. Experienced with missions and leadership matters since 1993. He is the Executive Director of Livingword Global leadership Mission; served as a missionary in Niger, Chad and in Nigeria where he resides, training Church Planters and Community Champions to build stronger and transformational churches in Africa. Having raised and trained many leaders in several nations, it has given him the voice in Leadership matters in Nigeria. He served as the Assistant to the National director of Bible league in Chad, later rose to National Head of Operations of Bible League Nigeria before proceeding to advance the course of Leadership and Mission. He is currently the Coordinator of the Teens Church in his local assembly where he raises leaders. As a great motivator, he has encouraged many, coupled with his unique approach to coaching and mentoring lives in diverse fields of specialization, more than 10,000 lives have been affected by his leadership. He is also championing the cause of community development in rural areas for positive changes. He is married to Titilope his best friend and they are blessed with five boys.
