I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m sure they are well-reasoned and I’m sure you believe them. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re sitting there with a mouse in one hand and a dorito in the other. Put it down. Put it doooown! There ya go.

Do you know why it’s so hard to keep that New Year’s Resolution? There is actually a science to it. There is a methodology to proper resolution keeping. It’s not well known, and that’s why every January 1st people make resolutions, and every February 1st people try to remember what they were. The reason the majority do not stick with them is because they don’t make the right resolutions.Now I don’t mean specifically the things they resolve, I mean they don’t make the right kind of resolutions.

Red bow on finger

If you want to ensure you finally stick to that New Year’s Resolution, you have to make the right kind. The trick to following through with it is two-fold:

1) Make one that is challenging enough that it requires work
2) Make one that is doable enough that it doesn’t automatically seem out of reach

If your resolution is too easy, its easy to say “I’ll start later.” Then you say “tomorrow,” then it’s “next week,” then next month” and then “what resolution?”

If however your resolution is too hard, its easy to say “what was I thinking, I can’t do this” and then give up.

So if you’ve dropped the ball this year, that’s okay. Start over; make a resolution that you have to reach for…but make it reachable. Here’s a good one to start with: WORSHIP GOD! Don’t tell me its hard when I can read about the persecution the saints of the 1st century endured. They didn’t care; they were going to worship God no matter what…I can’t get some brethren out of the deer stand no matter what! I mean really guys, I’ll buy you some venison at Kroger next time I’m there. I appreciate your offer for some deer meat but I’d rather feed you the bread of life first and then let you feed me the meat of buck. Deal?

Here’s another good resolution that is reachable: STOP CURSING! Is there anything more crude or vile? It is exactly what the Lord was condemning when He spoke of “idle speech” (Matthew 12:36); it’s wasted talk. It’s worthless talk. It’s vulgar and crass and doesn’t belong in the vocabulary of the child of God. If you can’t say something without swearing, don’t say it at all!

One more good one: SING! It sounds simple but it’s something so many disregard. I sit in the back of the auditorium at Guy, and being a people-watcher I tend to look around and see what I can see. I can’t even tell you how many times I see people (you know who you are) who just sit there while the brethren around them are singing. Don’t know the song? Just speak the words, they’re right there in the book. Can’t find the pitch? Who cares? It sounds good to the Father. Don’t like the tune? Get over it; it’s not about you, it’s about Him. Sing and sing and sing and you will find the satisfaction that comes with it.

Whatever you resolve this year, make it a challenge but make it doable. Make it so that you have to reach for it…but make it reachable. Whatever you resolve this year, make it with God’s help.

Have a great day!