The resolution underneath all resolutions

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Happy New Year! With a new year upon us, many of us are thinking about ways to improve ourselves, how to put behind us the mistakes of the past and step into the man or woman we wish to become. Whether your goal is to eat healthier, spend more time with God, be more patient, or something else, I wish you well and pray that God would empower you to be more holy and self-disciplined.

As I’ve reflected on New Year’s resolutions, I’ve been thinking about how one resolution could really help, no matter what my goal might be. That resolution is to be quicker to repent. Think about it: no matter where you want to improve, you’re most likely going to mess up along the way. But if you have resolved to quickly confess your sin and turn back to God, then your screw-up does not have to be the end of your goal. As John writes in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Being quick to repent applies not only to personal goals, of course, but to interpersonal ones as well. If your desire in 2017 is to have a stronger marriage, a better relationship with other family members, with friends, or at work, being quick to repent can help you reach that goal. Again, offenses and misunderstandings are inevitable in every relationship, but if you resolve not to hold grudges but to be quick to confess your part and to turn away from your sin, you will have done your part in strengthening relationships in your life.

Nobody is perfect except Jesus, and the likelihood of living out your New Year’s resolution perfectly is low. But if you resolve to be quick to repent, then you can keep striving to reach your goals.