A New Year’s Resolution Worth Fighting For: Will You?
A New Year’s Resolution
Worth Fighting For
“Auld Lang Syne” and midnight kisses echo in the air long after the streamers and the confetti decorate the floor. Cheeks still hurt from laughter and celebration memories dance loudly in our heads as the page turns decisively into the New Year. It is New Year’s Resolution time. This year is going to be the best yet. 2017 is going to be the year that everything falls into place, that we make the strides forward that we need to make, and that we finally land on the New Year’s resolution that we don’t fail to keep.
How many other years have begun this exact same way?
And yet gym memberships have been forgotten, pounds didn’t melt, and credit card debt still continued to mount. Is it possible for us to enter even the latter weeks of January without feelings of regret about already-broken resolutions and dashed hopes? I believe there is. And it may be that much of it has to do with leaning into the grace and strength of God to pursue resolutions that match His heart for us. Many of the things we resolve to do–and then don’t do–are things that may actually fall into place for us as we (instead) resolve to discover more of Him.
Joy…
This is my word for the year. In 2017, I’m resolving to lean into my name. I’ve been set apart for God’s joy, and yet I’m woefully inexperienced with it. I often sing about joy, read about it, and speak of it, yet it seems like a foreign language in my melancholy life, where I tend to observe more than dive in altogether. Joy, after all, is much more ardent than cursory in its essence. How do I know that it is God’s intention for me to discover His joy? I stumbled upon it in the book of John, where familiar words on worn pages spoke to me differently this time.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
(John 15:11 ESV)
The words of Scripture always speak inside a larger tapestry, so it is important here to peer in more deeply to see the things that were being spoken about that will result in our joy being full. Backing up for the context, it is immediately clear that John is writing Jesus’ words about intimacy with God, abiding in the true Vine, and remaining in the love of Christ.
We’ve just come through Advent and celebrated the birth of a King in a manger. The four weeks preceding Christmas are the beginning of the Christian Year. Over the past several Advent seasons, the Lord has been directing my frazzled heart to wait expectantly. I have been learning to look forward patiently with a gaze fixed on Christ. And now that the physical calendar has turned to the beginning of 2017, with all of its hopes and unknowns, it seems that He is still asking me to wait…expectantly. Because to ‘abide’ is to wait on, to remain steady, or to yield. This kind of waiting will be active, not passive; determined, not ambivalent. Jesus promised in John 11 that if His followers will abide in the Vine and remain in His love, then His joy will be in us, and that our joy will be full.
So going into 2017, I am resolving to abide in Jesus. I believe this is one New Year’s Resolution worth fighting for, and that lots of things I can’t predict will try to stand in its way. But the goal of the full joy of Christ is a goal like no other. With joy as my word for the year, I am going to focus on pursuing joy by pursuing Christ, and on scattering joy by sharing the love of Jesus.
Joy Sighting:
My word of the year inspires the first Joy Sighting at Joy Let Loose:
A New Year’s Resolution Worth Fighting For
Hope In Change is a new group belonging to dear friends of mine. They create unique jewelry to help remind the wearer of God’s promises, or simply of their own resolutions. Each necklace is custom made with a word selected by the owner, along with a Scripture passage beautifully included in the packaging. A portion of the proceeds will support the biological family of their Haitian son.
I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a resolution or a word for the year? Are there parts of God’s nature that you might resolve to discover in 2017?
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13 NIV)
Elizabeth Joy
Carley Morse
January 1, 2017
Oh, I am so excited for this! I tend to be pretty joyful by nature, but honestly, I’ve been struggling lately. Joy (the deep, bubbling-up-out-of-me kind) seems distant. I’m looking forward to joining you on your”joy let loose” journey. (Check out the alliteration in that sentence!)
I haven’t done much processing about a word for the year, but a few days ago, while doing dishes and mulling the new year, the word “new” and Isaiah 43:19 popped into my head. It’s related to the fact that I’ve had the same goals/resolutions/struggles for years! And instead of feeling discouraged, I want to lean into the fact that God can make all things new, and He can make me new!! I’m looking forward to taking some time this week to dive into that word and verse
Elizabeth
January 1, 2017
Thanks for sharing, Carley! I’m so glad to hear about your journey towards something “new”. It reminds me also of 2 Cor. 5:17. I’m encouraged with you that God is speaking to us both! Thanks for joining the joy journey. Alliteration noted and appreciated! 🙂
Sharmon Clark
January 1, 2017
Elizabeth! I love this! I just love this! Definitely a resolution worth fighting for! Happy, blessed, and JOYful New Year to you and your family. ❤️Sharmon
Elizabeth
January 1, 2017
I’m so glad, Sharmon. Thanks for coming along – blessings to you all as well! Happy New Year 🙂