I read recently that a poll of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions showed that their top priorities were finances, physical health, and mental health. What’s ironic is that, usually by the end of January, many resolutions have fallen by the wayside.
What if instead, we considered what was really important to us and then began to live intentionally in this new year?
As I think about the life of Christ, He lived intentionally, shaping His life around the priorities of God the Father. He said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Jesus had one life purpose: to do the Father’s will.
The Apostle Paul wrote that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). When we live intentionally in sync with God, we are able to do the works that He designed us to do. In light of that, every new year I remember the top priorities that shape my life and I try to live intentionally around those priorities.
Rather than setting lots of goals that you may or may not fulfill, what if you framed your life in 2024 intentionally around 3 priorities?
Knowing God – Deuteronomy 6:5 reminds us to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. How can you love God passionately if you don’t know Him intimately?
The older I get, the more my desire to know God grows. Time spent alone with God in the secret place has become, for me, the well where I draw life.
In the secret place, we simply spend time with God. We read His Word to discover what God is like and how to respond. We have a conversation with God, pouring out our hearts to Him and listening for His voice. We might sit in silence and just enjoy His presence. We spend time worshipping and praising Him. The secret place becomes a gift, offering rest and refreshment for our souls.
Loving Others – Jesus instructed us to love one another like He did (John 13:34). That’s a tall order because Jesus loved really well! It’s good to ask yourself, how are your relationships? Are there any that need intentional work on your part? Is there friction in any of them? I have heard in the past few months about so many broken relationships. What if we intentionally decided to help every person in our lives feel loved by us? I used to evaluate my days by how much I accomplished… I’m a natural achiever. However, recently I’ve been evaluating how well I love others at the end of each day.
Growing Personally – I don’t believe we are ever to stop growing. Peter encourages us to “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). God wants us to keep growing. Those who stop growing simply become stagnant. Choose an area where you’d like to grow this year and then intentionally take steps to do so. Consider: What is an area where I’d like to see growth in my life? Maybe it’s a character trait – like patience or listening. Or, maybe it’s a skill related to your career like leadership, financial management, or marketing skills. Then ask God to help you be faithful in taking specific steps to grow.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Becky Harling
Featured Image by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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