New Years Resolutions get a lot of bad press in my opinion.
It's very easy to rubbish the idea of having New Year's Resolutions, and I include myself in the group of people who often have a little giggle to myself whenever a keen 'resolutionist' shares their hopes and dreams for the coming year. It's easy for us to joke and laugh at those hoping to lose a few pounds in weight, or gain a few financial pounds through a new venture. It's very simple to nod along with a patronising tone as your friend talks about their aims to finally write that book, or journal everyday, or read through the whole Bible in a year.
For me, too many of my resolutions haven't finished. They all start. They all begin. They all get off the starting blocks, but usually a month into them and I'm into guilt-mode already as I've failed at the early stages of seeing the resolution become a habit.
So often we just give up. We don't bother with resolutions. We think of it as if it were beneath us, as if we've move onto bigger and better things. We think they are not worth it, as its never worked before.
However, my guess is that those who have made New Year's Resolutions have probably ended up doing more productive things in their lives than those who don't bother at all. You don't get anywhere without trying. Maybe we have all failed in some of our resolutions, but maybe this coming year will be the time the resolution actually sticks. Who knows. We'll never know unless we try.
So, in the stereotypical way, I'm using these days between Christmas and New Year to have a think about some goals, aims and targets for 2014 in my own life. Aims in my relationships with family and friends, goals with my work, targets and purpose filled actions for the ministries I'm involved in, and plans for how to develop my relationship with God this year.
Don't get cynical on me. Lets get dreaming and write some lists. And why not treat yourself by writing it on new stationery, always a bit more exciting then – everyone loves new stationery!