“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
Each time a new year rolls around, I still feel the nudge somewhere in my spirit to make my “lists.” I don’t call them “New Year’s resolutions” anymore. I’ve broken too many. Still, I can’t help evaluating the previous year to see if there are some things I could do better or some attitudes I could change. Like most, I long for my life to emanate Christ’s character more and more.
One day I was reading in Psalms and noticed that the Psalmist writer, David, wanted those same things. But his “list” did not smack of self-motivated resolutions, but of affirming commitments. David’s shepherd heart knew the power of trusting in God through all kinds of difficulties. Even in the midst of danger, he determined to choose the right action and attitude.
Now as I stand on the threshold of each year and face new choices, I try to adopt some of those same affirmations David wrote about here in Psalms: How will I choose to handle adversity? “I will bless the Lord at all times” (Psalm 34:1 NASB). What will I think about? “I will meditate on your wonders” (Psalm 119:27, NASB). How can I make God known? “I will tell of your greatness” (Psalm 145:6, NASB).
Working on those commitments–and so many others–requires more than an “I will” on my part. It means trusting that on the other side of “I will” is Jesus’ promise of, “I can.”
Jesus wants to do a new thing through us, not just at the beginning of each year, but at the start of each day.
Faith step: Scan through the Psalms and make a list of attitudes and actions that begin with “I will.” Then decide which commitments you will choose to make this year. For encouragement, memorize Philippians 4:13.
