A new decade has begun!  And with it comes the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions.  Many of us will start with a goal of getting in better shape or giving up a bad habit.  Many of us will strive to be kinder or work harder.  And many of us will simply admit that no amount of resolution-ing will get us to do those things we know we should do for ourselves.  But rather than merely looking in judgment on our lives and our human condition, resolutions actually offer us an opportunity to re-look at solutions for the problems we are experiencing. 

We all understand that “resolution” can be defined as a formal intention of something we want to change in our lives.  “Solution” is generally defined as a fix to a problem.  “Re-” can be defined as “again and again.  It also has another meaning when abbreviated to “re:” – regarding.  If we put these two words together as “re-solution,” we can move beyond the formality and rigid expectation of resolution and into a more approachable action of looking again at solutions to improve our lives. 

That said, where do we truly find solutions?  Only one answer is needed:  from our Father God!  Think on this:  When we are desperate for a solution to a problem, what (hopefully) do we do?  We pray!  We ask God for help.  We actually petition His assistance.   Usually, however, when making New Year’s resolutions, God doesn’t normally factor into our statement of intention.  But He should.  Without him, we are incapable of changing our lives.  We are unable to bring about solution to the myriad of problems that plague our daily existence.  Thinking of a resolution more as a prayer than a stated intent actually brings us closer to successful re-solution than we could achieve on our own. 

So, this New Year’s, let your resolutions be your prayers and petitions to God.  God will help you stay on course.  He always does because He actually knows the course He’s chosen for you.  Our new resolution?  “Go with God.”
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