Did you know that people have been making New Year’s resolutions for nearly four thousand years?
The ancient Babylonians promised to pay off their debts and return things they had stolen in hopes of winning the favor of their idols. They were also the first to hold celebrations to mark the beginning of their year. Ancient
Israelites would confess their sins and recommit themselves to Yahweh on the Day of Atonement, which took place ten days after the Jewish new year.
Today, many of us make New Year’s resolutions to become a better version of ourselves. We resolve to lose weight, sleep more, play fewer video games, and do better at school or work. While there is nothing wrong with these goals, are
they the goals God would have you make?
Let’s take a look at eight goals made by God’s people in the Bible.
Eight Biblical Goals to Make in 2023:
- Pursue God: Make it your quest to know God. Resolve to spend time each day with God until you know He is with you. Jacob wrestled with God for forgiveness and said, “I will not let you go unless
you bless me!” (Genesis 32:26).
- Keep Your Thoughts and Actions Pure: Commit to avoiding everything that promotes lust. Job, the man who lost everything because of Satan’s attacks, said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1).
- Practice Good Health Principles: Purpose to keep your body healthy, strong, and undefiled. Daniel did this when he was offered wine and unclean foods while in Babylon. “Daniel purposed in his
heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank” (Daniel 1:8).
- Pray Daily: Schedule times for your daily conversation with God. David, the shepherd boy who fought Goliath and later became king of Israel, knew this was the secret to strength. “Evening, and
morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17 KJV).
- Study the Bible: Resolve to study the Bible until you understand it. Paul, the apostle, counseled his young protégé, Timothy, to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
- Fellowship with Other Believers: The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Find a church where you can grow, learn, and serve. The writer of the book of Hebrews counsels us to “consider
one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24, 25).
- Treat Others with Kindness: Many people around you are struggling with life. They need kindness and encouragement. Are you treating them the way you want to be treated? Jesus tells us, “Whatever
you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12).
- Don’t Worry: Trust God instead of worrying about things you can’t control. He can take care of you. Jesus counsels us, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).
The Goals You Set Matter
The Bible tells the stories of two kings—one who resolved to follow God and one who didn’t. The results of their resolutions reveal how important it is to make godly commitments.
King Josiah “turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25). As a result, thousands turned to God and the kingdom of Judah prospered.
By contrast, King Rehoboam “did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14 NASB). His reign was marked by apostasy and ruin.
Whose path will you follow this year? Will you resolve to follow the Lord wherever He leads you? Will you commit to praying and studying the Bible daily? Will you prioritize sharing your faith with others? If so, God will say of you,
“Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23).