Collins' Column
In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He added that the second greatest is to “love your neighbor as yourself,” and that the whole law could be summed up in these two commands.
As the new year approaches, you may be thinking about how you’d like your life to change. Here are four ways you can resolve to love God and others well in the new year:
1. Spend Time With Him
Nothing is as life-giving as spending time with Jesus. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus goes to stay with two sisters named Mary and Martha. While Martha was “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made,” her sister “sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he said.”
Martha was frustrated with having to do all the work, but Jesus responded by saying, “few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” This story is an important reminder that time with Jesus is time well spent.
Reading the Bible is a valuable way to learn about and hear from God, but there are many other ways you can draw near to God during devotional time. Going on a prayer walk, meditating on a specific Scripture, or worshipping with music are all ways to deliberately spend time with Jesus on a daily basis.
2. Seek Reconciliation
Following Jesus means making a commitment to reconciliation. As Colossians 1:19-20 says, “in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
When you trust in Jesus, you have peace and a right relationship with God. Unfortunately, the other relationships in your life are probably still very messy, and some of them may even be extremely damaged.
Ask yourself if there’s any unresolved conflict or hurt in your life. If you’ve wronged someone, now is the time to apologize. If someone has wronged you, God will help you to forgive them as he’s forgiven you.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean letting someone back into your life so they can hurt you again. However, unless you forgive others, the bitterness and anger you feel will continue to harm you. Ask God for help to forgive and reconcile with others this new year.
3. Organize Your Finances
The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom about how to use money well. While making money for its own sake isn’t a healthy goal, having a strong financial plan and control over your money is important. Learning how to invest, making a budget, and changing your mindset about money can benefit you and your family for the rest of your life.
The Bible also has a lot to say about work. In Proverbs 14:23, Solomon writes, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” God created work to be good and enjoyable, and in its original form, it was. While work today will always be a struggle, it can help you learn more about yourself and honor God by caring for others.
The new year is an exciting opportunity to revisit your finances and work-life and consider what changes you’d like to make to be a better steward of your time, money and even the environment. You could make a plan to pay off debt, start an investment account, or research energy-efficient rebates in your area to save more.
4. Take Care of Yourself
God designed and formed your body, and he cares about your health. The Bible is rich with imagery about the beauty and value of God’s creation and how much he loves it. In Genesis 1:31, at the very beginning of the world, the Bible records that “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”
However, after Adam and Eve sinned, creation was cursed. In Romans 8:22, Paul writes that “the whole creation has been groaning,” waiting for redemption and renewal. This brokenness affects our bodies and our minds, leading to many physical and mental illnesses.
Another way to honor God this new year is to care for your body by getting good nutrition, exercising, and taking adequate rest. You are precious to him, and your mental health is closely connected to your physical health. Make it a priority to keep growing in how you care for yourself this year.
New Beginnings
As the new year approaches, spend some time asking God how he’d like you to grow over the next few months. What areas of your life need shifting? Where do you feel stuck? What is still bothering you that you hoped would be behind you by now?
As you make new resolutions, don’t forget to consider the last 12 months and get excited about all the ways you’ve already grown. Then, get excited about your new goals. God has so much good for you this new year!
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