By the time you’re reading his, Christmas must be a long distance memory. People have by now moved on to other mundane, every day things of life. And this should show us how ephemeral life is: we are just sojourners on earth. But there is one more “important” celebration, not on Christian calendar, just hours ahead. The New Year celebration. As usual, many people, among them Christians, are going to exercise the ritual called making New Year resolutions. It is said that the body is a temple of God, so this is the time Christians are going to resolve to pray more, attend Church more regularly, read the bible every day, quit smoking and drinking, exercise and lose weight and spend more time with the family. Should Christians make New Year resolutions in the first place? Yes, I think so because New Year signals a new start. Should Christians wait for the New Year to reaffirm some commitments to God? I think no because this is just a day, like any others. Which kind of New Year resolutions should Christians make? I think they are legion. The book of 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs Christians 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.” Thus, to exercise is among the many resolutions you can make. However, the Bible is mute whether Christians should make New Year resolutions or not. As Psalm 118: 24 states, every day is the day Lord has made and thus we should rejoice and be glad in it. It implies that a person can make promise or a resolution to oneself at any time and any day of the year. The Book says in Ecclesiastes 5:2- 5 “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth; therefore let your words be few. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— better not to vow than to vow and not pay.” 1 Timothy 6:11 has also a word on making commitment for Christ: “Resolve to grow closer to Christ everyday and with the help of His Holy Spirit to “pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” It can be a bit stimulating making resolutions at that time of the year or another time as Timothy puts it above. But we should also know that ever commitment we make for the Lord comes with responsibility, which is to keep it. How many Christians have promised to read their bibles everyday, serve others, serve the Lord in any capacity, get themselves involved in church activities, pay their tithes, evangelise to friends and families? Many. On the other hand, how many of us have backtracked on our resolutions? We are also many. Making resolutions is easier said than done. That’s why as a Christian, you should continually pray to God to help you keep our resolutions. You should, at all times, seek spiritual guidance. But the most important thing is that you should be well motivated enough if you want to see your New Year resolutions successful. As the person who has resolved to change a certain aspect of your life, it behooves on you to ensure that you are strong enough in your convictions. As you resolve to strengthen your spiritual life this year, this column wishes you a happy New Year and the strength to grow spiritually.
