Try This Instead of New Year’s Resolutions 

(7 Ways to Purpose & Meaning in the New Year)

“Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning, life has no significance or hope.” – Rick Warren

1. Get right with God.
2. Put others first.
3. Discover your God-given purpose.
4. Have a devotional time each day.
5. Give some of your income to help others.
6. Discover your spiritual gifts.
7. Take care of yourself; drop bad habits and adopt new good ones.

Get right with God

Without God, life is a broad road to eternal destruction; for the Bible says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” Matthew (7:13-14). According to the Bible, there are only two ways in life; First, there is a broad way that is easy to travel. Every person is on this road at birth, and many continue on it until death. This broad road leads to eternal destruction. People who travel down this road are on a quest to fill the vacuum in their heart and many die never having found it because they looked in all the wrong places. The second road is a narrow one. You have to be determined to get on it. It is much easier to just stay on the broad road, which takes no effort.  You must exit the broad road and never look back to enter the narrow road that leads to eternal life. Only those who are right with God can travel this road. You may be wondering how does a person get right with God? There are Biblical guidelines waiting for you on how to get right with God: Just CLICK HERE.

Put others first

Putting others first is not necessary ignoring yourself and your personal needs. The Bible is clear, “thou art to love thy neighbor as thyself.” Here is an important point: If you can’t love yourself, how then can you love your neighbor. Putting others first is not as sacrificing as we might think; Discovering the needs of others and providing those needs brings a feeling of accomplishment. Putting others first can give you joy and peace: According to the Bible, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The word blessed means happy.

Peace and joy do not result from looking out for self at the expense of others. It can indeed bring back rewards that we would never have otherwise, rewards that are far more valuable than money or just putting yourself first. Even more than anything else, putting others needs first, for a believer in Christ, brings heavenly rewords that last for all eternity.

Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol” is a good example of what happens to a person who thinks only of himself, his wants, and needs. I had much rather be the person Ebenezer Scrooge turns out to be than the person he was before he realized what he was. It is essential to carefully examine ourselves to discover what we really are, and then strive to make a change.

Discover your God-given purpose

If productivity and a joy filed life is attractive to you, finding purpose is central. According to statistics, one of the rewards of a life of purpose is people with a strong sense of purpose live longer. If you are not quite sure of what you are meant to do with your life, the following is a quide to help you to discover your God-given purpose on earth.

What does fulfilling God’s purpose in your life mean? I think first of all, the key to finding purpose in life is realizing that God’s purpose is what matters most. When there is no relationship with God, everything else is failing, falling away, and coming to an end. The best ways to discover your God-given purpose are so easy to access:

First, immerse yourself in the Word of God each day: The Word of God is His way of speaking to you, giving you the most valuable information about life and how to live. Read the Bible if you want to learn your purpose in life; it is the best reference you will ever find.

Second, Pray for God’s direction: The Bible says “we have not because we ask not.” God wants you to know your purpose and is willing to teach you how to use it for His glory through the spiritual gifts. The Bible teaches that the Bible lights our way: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). When we combine God’s Word with our fervent prayer, God’s light comes on to guide us on the path He has selected for us. Paul said, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9). According to God’s Word, when we find God’s purpose for our life, we can have assurance of the future, “And we know that in all things works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Remember, as I said before, the key to life on earth is that God’s purpose is what matters most above anything else.

Third, when you discover your purpose, pursue it with all of your might: It is not enough to just discover your purpose in life. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew26-14-16). Embracing your purpose means surrendering your all to God. The more control of your life is in God’s hands, the more you sense His purpose. God already has plans for your life: “For I know the plans I have for you, […] plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jermiah 29:11). We can face life with a new zeal knowing that even when hard times come that everything will work out for the good, and even the difficult times have a purpose when we are committed to God’s purpose. The moment we discover God’s purpose for our life, we begin to live life more fully and with peace and joy.

Have a devotional time each day

Spending time with God is a privilege not an obligation, which is essential for spiritual growth. Like most everything else, devotions require learning if you want them to be effective. You need to a devotion plan which is right for you. Forming a habit takes about 21 days, so plan your devotion to go for 21 days without a break. By that time, it will be easy to continue on each day.

There are several translations of the Bible. Get a good translation and not a paraphrase (Living Bible). I like the King James version, but that is the one I grew up with. Have a pen or pencil handy and a note pad to copy down things you learn or references you want to refer back to in the future. A Bible devotional guide, study guide, or commentary will also be helpful. Choose a time of day and place that best meets your schedule. Early in the morning is a great time if you are and early riser; there are less interruptions at this time. Set a time limit that is best for you at the beginning that can be extended as time goes by if needed. Don’t aim to high less you become discouraged. There is no set time limit for devotions; you may start with 15 minutes, which can stretch out to more as you become seasoned.

It is good to choose a Bible reading plan. Three chapters a day will take you through the Bible in a year. If that is too much, start with whatever is comfortable for you. Spend a portion of your devotion in prayer. Remember, it is not the length of prayer that is important; it is your devotion to prayer. The example of prayer that Jesus gave His disciples was short, but it included the essentials of prayer (The Lord’s Prayer: KJV). Keep in mind, it was a model and not a prayer to be repeated. Your devotion time is also a time to worship and honor God by expressing your love for Him and your gratitude to Him.

Some like to keep a running journal of their devotions, which they record their thoughts and the thing they are learning from day to day. You might want to give it a try to see if it is something for you. Whatever plan you choose determine to stick with it; it is easy to give up on anything. The rewards you receive by being with God on a regular basis and learning more about Him and more about life is worth the effort. Also, don’t be afraid to change your routine from time to time to keep it fresh.

Give a portion of your income to help others

Are there rewards for helping others? Although, the altruistic goal of helping others is not self-rewards, you do reap some rewards mental as well as physical, and it is not wrong to enjoy those rewards. We have heard the term “paying it forward,” that is passing along to others the blessing you have received, and it may encourage others to follow suit. The Bible says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). That word blessed means happy. This may seem like an unusual way to be happy, but it works according to the bible. It has been discovered by some that helping others creates a sense of well-being and can lower depression and eradicate loneliness. According Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, “it can even reduce chronic pain.”

Discover your spiritual gifts

So, what are the spiritual gifts that God has given to his people? A spiritual gift is a God-given ability that God has chosen specifically for you. This is given to enhance your ability to help with the ministries of the church on earth and to serve the needs of others. Spiritual gifts enable believers to think of Jesus more than thinking of themselves and what they may get in return as the poem states below:

God gave us spiritual gifts so that we can be more effective in serving Him in this life. Not to discover them and use them is a defiance of Almighty God. They are given as tools to build the Church and weapons to defeat Satan the enemy. Spiritual gifts are important and to be used, not to be ignored or treated lightly. Below is a brief alphabetical list of spiritual gifts and their definition taken from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Romans chapter 12, and Ephesians chapter 4:

“Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord.
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word.
Once his gifts I wanted, now the Giver own.
Once I sought for healing, now himself alone.” – A. B. Simpson

Administration: This is a gift that enhances skills in organization, planning, and supervision. This gift is the ability to help steer the ministries of the church successful to the completion of Biblical goals.

Apostles: This was a New Testament spiritual gift given to the twelve disciples as they built the church and carried the gospel across the Roman Empire.

Discernment: This is the ability to know things without previous knowledge and the wisdom to tell the difference in truth and untruth, correctly evaluating behavior, and identifying false teachers.

Evangelism: The above normal ability to communicate the gospel to nonbelievers.

Exhortation: This gift is helping others to be all God wants them to be, offering encouragement, comfort, and support.

Faith: This is the ability to stand strong in your conviction of the Bible no matter what society tries to force on you. These are defenders of the church and its ministries as the church moves forward.   

Giving: These with this gift give over and above of their resources freely with joy to promote the cause of Christ without expecting a return.

Healing: All physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual healing is from God. The medical knowledge and medications are also God-given. However, the gift of healing was for the early New Testament times. Although, today there are those who claim to have the gift of healing, no scientific data is available to back it up.

Helps: Those who have this gift are quick to volunteer to help where ever needed. They are able to support or assist the staff of the church so that they may be free to minister to others.

Hospitality: Those with this gift are outgoing friendly people that make others feel welcome to the Church or other meetings.

Knowledge: This gift is the above average ability to gain knowledge and use it to forward the cause of Christ.

Leadership: This gift enables someone to motivate others toward achieving the church’s goals.

Mercy: This gift is a defining trait of a person with a compassion and love for those who are suffering or in need and who offers their help and encouragement,

Prophecy: The ability to foretell future events in the Bible. This gift was for Biblical times.

Serving:  The desire to serve the church and others when the occasion arises.

Speaking in tongues: The supernatural ability to speak in another language without having to learn it. Paul used this gift when planting churches in areas where people spoke other languages. It was only available in Biblical times.

Teaching: The God-given ability to teach the Bible effectively communicating the understanding and spiritual growth of others.

Pastor: The spiritual gift of pastor or pastor/shepherd has many different responsibilities.  This gift is similar to the spiritual gifts of leadership and teaching.  “Poimen” is the Greek word for pastor, which means shepherd or overseer.

Evangelist: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…” (Eph 4:11). Those with the gift of evangelist effectively share the gospel in such a way that people readily come to know Jesus.

How can you know if you have this Spiritual Gift of evangelism? Below are several characteristics:

• Has a strong desire to see others come to Jesus.
• Is bold to share the gospel with others, even strangers.
• Has brought many to Jesus in the past.
• Has the ability to minister to non-Christians in such a way that they feel comfortable.

Wisdom: The gift of being able to use known facts and data to determine decisions and the right approach as to what action needs to be taken.

How to determine which gifts God has given: While reading through the descriptions above, which of them resonate with you? That could indicate the gift or gifts God has given you.Sometimes others are able to recognize your gifts better than you can.Pray and ask God to help you to determine what your gift or gifts are.Publications and articles like this one have been written to help you to discover your gift or gifts.

What to do once you know what your spiritual gifts are? Once you discover your spiritual gifts, it is time to start using them to bring glory to God. You can now help to move the Kingdom of God forward. Your spiritual gift is needed in church ministries. All the needs of the church are important regardless of how small they seem. Let the church leadership know what your spiritual gift/gifts are and be available.

Take care of yourself: Drop bad habits and adopt new good ones

Why is it that people can’t seem to quit doing those things that bring harm to them and start doing those things that helps their wellbeing? Using tobacco harms the body; Drugs and alcohol addictions break families apart, disrupt friendships, and cause bad health; obesity caused by the habit of overeating is a health issue. So, what can be done to change bad habits into new healthy ones?

Science is searching for answers on breaking bad habits and forming helpful ones, but there is already a way that is proven to work: 85% of drug abusers, those that who are able to drop the habit, turned to God for His help. The same works for any bad habit, such as smoking, over eating, or whatever the bad habit may be. It is for certain that bad habits are hard to change, but if many others have been successful in doing so, so can you.  Enlist God’s help; ask Christian friends to pray for you; turn to your family for extra support.

Conclusion

This New Year, I urge you to drop New Year’s resolutions that usually fail, and instead, try the things listed in this article that can improve your life, and you will likely experience some great returns that will improve your health and add a new purpose for living.

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Tags: God, Jesus, eternal life, salvation, hope, spiritual gifts, purpose

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