“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:13-14
Every December, millions of people begin planning their year with New Year’s resolutions. Losing weight, getting organized, exercising more, eating healthier, and managing finances better are some of the most common resolutions. But what about making spiritual New Year’s resolutions?
We make commitments and tell our friends and family on January 1st, only to give it all up by January 3rd. But as humans, our struggle for consistency goes way beyond resolutions. Making commitments we can’t keep runs all through society, back to Biblical times.
In the Bible, James spoke of some people who can teach us a valuable lesson about great intentions that aren’t aligned with God’s will.
Our plans may or may not be God’s plans. If we want to be successful with any New Year’s resolution, we must seek God’s will. By his strength, we might lose weight, eat better, or become better stewards of our finances.
What does God want for our lives? When he convicts, he also equips us to follow through with the plan. When we know we are following God’s plan, then we have more strength to stick to it, allowing him to work well beyond our normal January 3rd quitting date.
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
James 5:7-8
Devotion by Dr. Joe Pettigrew In the Zone Daily Huddle Devotions.
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