A New Year’s Resolution
Every January, I think back on my previous year and decide to make resolutions for the new year. I’m sure many of you do the same thing. And every year, the resolutions are usually the same, maybe just worded differently. I always want to eat healthier, get in the gym more, spend less time on my phone, be more intentional with my time, and even read my Bible more. I always start off really strong. But usually within a few days, I miss a day at the gym. Or I decide I would rather get fast food on the way home instead of eating my meal prep. I begin to panic feeling like I have already failed the year.
I start to look at social media and compare myself to everyone else. Everyone else seems like they are crushing their New Year’s goals and I am over here failing within the first few days. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself and if I’m not doing something right the first time, I tend to feel as though I am failing. This causes so much turmoil and anxiety in my day to day life.
I often feel as though God also views me this way. That he expects perfection out of me. Of course I know that this is a silly way to view God. But for some reason, the New Year always causes internal conflict where I feel as though I need to reset my life to perfection. I feel as though the Lord expects this of me. But that’s the thing. He doesn’t. If you have a New Year’s resolution to read your Bible every day for at least an hour and you miss a day, that’s okay! The Lord is not upset with you. He loves any time he gets to spend with you and is not upset because you didn’t “meet” a goal that you set for yourself. In fact, I do this every year where I feel as though I disappoint God because I don’t do my quiet time at the exact time every morning. Or maybe one day I only spend thirty minutes with him instead of a full hour.
God is not expecting perfection out of us. Rather he just wants to be in communion with us. He wants to be invited into our everyday life. If we set a goal to read our Bible every day for at least an hour before we go to work or school, but we aren’t spending even five minutes a day now, we most likely won’t keep this goal. My advice for you is if you want to set goals for the New Year, set them! But make them obtainable. Goals and growth are a good thing. But don’t put so much pressure on yourself to become this “perfect” version of yourself. Because remember, we can set these goals and plans for 2026, but that doesn’t mean that is where the Lord wants to take us. Proverbs 16:9 says “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
If you already feel behind at the start of the New Year, don’t. The Lord has you in the palm of his hand which is exactly where he wants you to be! Happy New Year, friends!!
Haleigh is an LO Ambassador who lives in Franklin, Tennessee and works as the Store Leader of one of the Nashville Altar’d States. In her free time, she loves going to hockey games, reading, or finding new restaurants in Nashville!
