RESOLUTELY RESOLVED

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Resolutions are good – if you keep them, that is. It has been my observation that most people do not. Perhaps they are not determined enough.

The root word of “Resolution” is resolute,” which means “determined.” New Year’s resolutions usually begin with the words, “I resolve.” Resolve also has to do with determination. So when we make our vows to ourselves, we should be resolutely resolved, or determined to be determined to do whatever we promise ourselves.

No one else can keep the resolutions we make. Resolutions are neither wishes to be granted by a genie nor prayers to be answered by God. Money won’t even help, unless it is to pay for a therapist to talk us through what we still have to do ourselves.

Some of the more common resolutions are to give up cigarettes or alcohol, lose weight, and exercise more. These are all good resolutions because your body is your temple. But maybe we would all be more determined to keep our resolutions if we made them to God instead of to ourselves. And perhaps He would rather hear resolutions which more specifically address a person’s spiritual condition. For example, “I resolve to think of myself less and others more,”or “I resolve to give up my pet sin once and for all,” or “I resolve to read my Bible and pray daily.”

There is an old hymn called “I Am Resolved.” The words are quite appropriate for a New Year’s resolution.

I am resolved no longer to linger,

Charmed by the world’s delights.

Things that are higher, things that are nobler,

These have allured my sights.

Most of you have made a commitment to the Lord to seek His will, but have you committed to the second verse also?

I am resolved to go to the Savior,

Leaving the paths of sin.

Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me,

Still will I enter in. 

If you have not made such a determination and need to, a New Year’s resolution would be the perfect way. Let your motto be, “A New Life for the New Year.” Then when the year has ended, you can repeat the vow as a continuing resolution. God has already made a resolution to provide us with a home in heaven that He is resolutely resolved to keep if you keep a vow to love and obey Him. 

Becky Wall

Note: This was published in the Christian Standard, a Standard Publishing Company weekly, (slightly edited) January 1, 2000.

Note: Resolutions have more to do with self improvement; vows have a deeper meaning, such as keeping the wedding vows. Resolutions teach us self-denial and give us an opportunity to defeat those unnecessary and/or detrimental things that have taken priority in our lives. Vows often have to do with moral or character changes and are spoken to God. If your resolution can be considered a vow, it must be kept. According to scripture, "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it" Ecclesiastes 5:5.