New Year Goals and Resolutions

Happy New Year!

"Ask yourself: What would your life look like if you directed it, instead of drifted through it?" —Michael Hyatt

We should be looking forward to embracing good and healthy growth and change in the New Year. As Donald Miller puts it, "Things that stay the same aren’t healthy."

We should begin our New Year reflecting on God's grace and goodness in governing the outcomes in our lives. As it says in Proverbs 16:9, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." (Proverbs 16:9, NIV) Established steps, change, growth and movement in our lives are good.

We should also acknowledge that it is God who begins and finishes His work in us. As Paul stated in Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

What's your plan for the New Year? What will God do in your life in 2015? Do you have any goals or resolutions? What are they?

Consider these three questions that Bill Hybles suggests:

1. What should you stop doing this year?

2. What should you start doing this year?  

3. What should you continue doing this year?

Spiritual Formation Planning and Goals

Photo from HeidiPowell.net

This S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet can help us think through and plan spiritual formation and discipleship goals for ourselves as we reflect on the following questions:

• As you reflect on the last year, what growth have you seen in yourself concerning spiritual formation and discipleship?

• As the New Year approaches, what goals do you have concerning your own spiritual formation and discipleship?

Research has shown that writing out our goals will help them come to fruition, rather than just having goals without writing them down. 

The New Year is upon us and this is a great time to set goals, to plan out and to schedule disciplines, as well as our time, in such a way that we will grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Planning is important. As the old saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Our spiritual formation is imperative and we should have a plan.

While planning and doing our part is essential, we recognize "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9)" and "Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow (1 Corinthians 3:7)."

Happy New Year and may we grow in Him!