HOW TO MAKE GOD-HONORING NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (PART 3 OF 3)

STEP THREE: Consider Your Own Health and Wellness.

Once your spiritual priorities are in place, and once you have taken into account the needs of your loved ones, you are now ready to make resolutions concerning your own overall health. Some people may wonder if it is wise to put self last. After all, when it comes to caretakers, if they do not take care of themselves, they cannot take care of those who depend upon them. You can readily see that discernment is required. I would respond by simply equating self-care in those contexts as a part of serving others. At the end of this post, we will look at how all of these considerations fit together.

When I encourage you to think about your own health and wellness, I am speaking about every aspect of your life – physical, emotional, and financial, for example. Did you see your doctor for your physical this past year? If not, you might consider doing so this year. Did you have a regular exercise regimen that you followed under the supervision of your doctor? If not, this can be the year that you start exercising regularly. I was the guy who did not like to dress out for PE. I was fat. Not chubby – fat. I was self-conscious about dressing out for PE, so I didn’t do it. This led to a lifetime of being overweight, and I do not blame anyone but myself. But without boring you with these details, let me let you know that I enjoy exercising now. If I can move from where I was to loving physical activity, you can to. A personal trainer might be the answer to get you moving. Your financial health – are you in debt? What can you do to reduce it? Can you ask for a raise at work? Can you take on another job? Are there side gigs that you can pursue to increase your income? How is your retirement savings growing? Will you have enough retirement income when you get to that point? Are you generous toward the Lord’s work? Are you tithing to a local church? Do you honor God with the first fruits?

These are just a few questions to get you thinking about possible resolutions. I would issue a word of caution at this point. You will probably not fix every problem in your life and the lives of your loved ones and the world around you over the next twelve months. You do not want to bite off more than you can chew, to use a worn-out expression. Set goals that are achievable, goals that challenge you but are still within reach. Even if you cannot turn every situation around this year, you can make baby steps toward the solutions. For many things, you can get yourself in a position to solve it completely next year or the year after. For example, my weight was so out of control, it will be another 1.5-2.0 years before I get where I want to be.

How all of this fits together. Once you have sketched out a list of resolutions for these different areas, spend some time thinking about how they relate to one another. For example, when you love the Lord your God with your financial resources, the Word of God promises that God will honor those who are good stewards and who worship the Lord through giving. I have blog posts that explain why the Bible does not promise wealth to everyone who gives to a ministry. But a different principle is clear. God can do more with your 90% than you can do with the 100%. Your financial health is tied to your worship life in giving to God, and all of this is tied with your overall health as it can lead to less stress. If you cannot complete all 200 resolutions on your list, pick the dozen that put checks in the most boxes. Are there resolutions that bring you closer to God, while bringing you closer to your spouse, while improving your own personal health?
For example, “God being my helper, I will start a devotional time with my wife each day in which we read Scripture together, share with one another what God is doing in our lives, how we can serve one another better, and pray together.”
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If you would like specific guidance on any of these topics or in making your new years resolutions, please get in touch with us through the digital connection card at https://GraceFay.org/Online 

Happy New Year!

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