Many people begin making New Year’s resolutions long before the new year rolls around, and many of those same people have already broken those same resolutions by noon on January 1st. To be quite honest, I quit making New Year’s resolutions a long time ago. I’ve never been that great at keeping them, but this year that is going to change.
My first advice is to quit thinking about resolutions as a list of things you plan to accomplish this year. Instead, think of them as goals. I know, I know. It’s just a change of names, but we tend to think of resolutions as things to be broken and goals as things we’re going to do.
Secondly, you need to pray about where God wants to lead you this year. It’s great to have dreams and plans, but if they aren’t from God, then they are useless. Psalms 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” I want to know where the Lord is leading me and what He wants from me.
Next, you need to write it down. We all know that writing down a goal helps us to accomplish it in a more timely manner. You need to write down where God is leading you. Then you need to pray over it daily. I keep a prayer journal, and when I feel that God is calling me to something, I write it down on my prayer list. As things begin happening toward that vision, I make notes. It’s amazing to see how God works in your life.
Finally, you need to move. If God is calling you to write a book, then you actually have to get your computer out and put words to paper. If God is calling you to the mission field, then you need to go. Maybe God is calling you to teach Sunday school, then you have to volunteer. You see where I’m going with this. God can call you to something, but you have to move.
Listen for His calling and go where He sends you today.