NYE, Resolutions, and true life change

New Year's Eve. All over the world tonight, people will gather to celebrate, watch the ball drop or, of course, make life-changing New Year's resolutions. By Valentine's day, though, most of those resolutions will be only guilt-producing memories. We're not what we want to be.

New Year's Eve. All over the world tonight, people will gather to celebrate, watch the ball drop or, of course, make life-changing New Year's resolutions. By Valentine's day, though, most of those resolutions will be only guilt-producing memories. We're not what we want to be. No matter how hard we try, we don't have the power to change ourselves into what we dream we'd be. We can't do it. But God? God's in the transformation business.

In the last few decades, many American churches have emphasized God's grace and salvation over God's expectation for change. Instead of understanding that salvation turns our lives upside down,  many assume that "Just as I am" is a lifelong state.  

The tragedy is that we've forgotten that Christ's work on the cross changed everything–not only our eternal destination, but the life we live now.  God's freeing, fulfilling work for us doesn't stop when we walk an aisle or say a prayer. That's only the beginning of the adventure.

The popularity of New Year's resolutions displays the heart's hunger for transformation;

the failure of those resolutions displays our inability to transform ourselves;

God's Word displays His desire for His people to reflect His character.

This year, instead of resolving to change yourself, consider yielding to the Holy Spirit's changing work. And while other people's gym bags get dusty in the bottom of their closets, you'll see the miracle of God's true change in your life.