New Years Resolution is to continue the old year's resolution

Article Summary

This New Year devotional continues my previous resolution to please God and adds a renewed commitment to obey Him. It reflects on obedience, spiritual discernment, refuge under God’s wings, the family created through Jesus’ blood and the genuine love that should identify Christ’s followers.

Continuing Last Year’s Resolution

It is that time again when resolutions are made in the hope of improving one’s life and experiencing the satisfaction of being true to what one has set out to accomplish in the new year.

Last year, my resolution was to please God. This year, it remains the same, with one additional sentence: obey God. I want to obey Him no matter what—even when what He asks me to do feels scary, uncomfortable or unusual.

My Continuing Resolution

Please God. Obey God. Love His family genuinely.

Pleasing God Through Obedience

To become strong in the Lord—my Lord—I must understand that obedience is part of pleasing Him. I desire to remain close to Him and to take refuge under His wings, trusting His truth and protection.

“And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”

— selected wording from Psalm 91:4 (NKJV)

God’s protection does not mean that believers will never experience darkness, hardship or testing. Scripture teaches us to expect trials, but it also assures us that we are not abandoned within them. Refuge is not the absence of every difficult circumstance; it is the presence and faithfulness of God while we walk through it.

Obedience Must Walk With Discernment

As someone redeemed by Christ, I need the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to recognise the tactics of the evil one so that I can remain true and faithful without being easily deceived.

If an impression seems frightening, uncomfortable or bizarre, I should not obey it merely because it feels spiritual. God will not contradict His revealed character and Word. Every impression must be tested prayerfully against Scripture, the fruit it produces and wise Christian discernment.

A safeguard for spiritual impressions

Obedience to God is not blind obedience to every thought, dream or inner voice. Scripture says, “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Testing an impression is part of faithful obedience.

A Family Joined Through Jesus’ Blood

While reflecting in December 2017, something extraordinary dawned on me—an understanding I believe came from the Holy Spirit. I realised that everyone redeemed by Christ is my spiritual brother or sister. Our bond is stronger than water because we have been brought together through Jesus.

People often say, “Blood is thicker than water.” To me, the ultimate blood-bond is the blood Jesus shed on the cross for all who desire Him, believe in Him and receive Him as Lord and Saviour. Through Christ, people who were once strangers become members of the household of God, as described in Ephesians 2:13–19. We are all part of Jesus Blood Family. Additionally, Jesus is the blood and the water, so this saying becomes redundant and useless for us believers.

A note about the familiar saying

“Blood is thicker than water” is a common cultural expression, not a Bible verse. I am using it devotionally to express how deeply the blood of Christ joins believers into one spiritual family.

Love Must Be Visible

Being part of Christ’s family means learning what His Word teaches about love. The world should recognise us by the love we have for one another—not by hatred, backstabbing, gossip or the other destructive behaviours our flesh may enjoy.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

— John 13:35 (NKJV)

People are intelligent beings made in God’s image. They can often recognise whether someone is being genuine. Saying that I love someone while treating that person like a total stranger, as though they are beneath me or as though they have little worth, sends a different message from my words.

Attitude matters. The love of Jesus must be seen not only in what I say, but also in how I listen, speak, respond, forgive, protect another person’s dignity and behave when no praise is offered in return.

✨ Deep Treasure

A New Year resolution to please and obey God cannot remain only between God and me. It must become visible in how I treat the people Jesus has joined to His family. Obedience without love misrepresents Him, while genuine love gives the world a glimpse of the One we follow.

Questions for Personal Reflection

• What did pleasing God look like in my life last year?
• Where is God asking me to practise clearer obedience this year?
• Do I test unusual spiritual impressions carefully against Scripture?
• Does my treatment of other believers show that I regard them as family in Christ?
• Is there any gossip, resentment, backstabbing or false behaviour that I need to surrender?
• Would people recognise Jesus through the love and dignity I show to others?

A Prayer for the New Year

Prayer

LORD, help me to continue pleasing You and to obey You with courage, wisdom and discernment. Teach me to recognise deception, remain close beneath Your wings and love every brother and sister in Christ genuinely. Let my words, attitude and actions represent Jesus faithfully. Amen.

Scripture for Further Reflection

• Psalm 91:1–4 — dwelling with God and taking refuge under His wings.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22 — testing all things and holding firmly to what is good.
• Ephesians 2:13–19 — being brought near through Christ’s blood and becoming members of God’s household.
• John 13:34–35 — Christ’s command to love and the mark of His disciples.
• 1 John 4:20–21 — loving God and loving one’s brother belong together.

Topics Covered: New Year’s resolution, pleasing God, obeying God, spiritual discernment, God’s protection, refuge under His wings, blood of Jesus, family in Christ, Christian love, genuine behaviour and John 13:35.

Old Resolution for Another New Year 2017

Article Summary

This post preserves the New Year’s resolution I carried into 2017: to practise consistency in private and public, grow in the complete fruit of the Holy Spirit and honour God through my work, health, family, studies, service and personal goals.

A Resolution Worth Continuing

This was a New Year’s resolution I had used for several years, and I intended to continue it in 2017. It was not simply a list of achievements. It was a commitment to let God shape my daily habits, private choices and responses to other people.

My Continuing Resolution

Be consistent in the small things, respond with the fruit of the Spirit and let private faithfulness prepare me for public challenges.

Daily Commitments

• Work without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 reminds me to do all things without complaining and disputing.
• Work diligently and wholeheartedly. I want to resist laziness and complete my responsibilities with care, remembering the wisdom of Proverbs 10:4 and 12:24.
• Help others quietly whenever I can. I do not need public attention for every act of generosity. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:1–4 that giving should not become a performance for human praise.
• Receive correction from those who genuinely care. I want to discern the difference between destructive condemnation and loving reproof, as reflected in Proverbs 9:7–8 and 17:10.
• Do not seek spiritual attention. I should not publicise fasting to appear righteous, nor fill conversations with careless words when no contribution is needed. Jesus addresses private fasting in Matthew 6:16–18 and warns about careless speech in Matthew 12:36.
• Be consistent in ordinary responsibilities. Exercise, healthy eating, time with God, time with my child and time with family all matter.
• Choose close influences wisely. Proverbs 22:24–25 warns that repeated patterns can be learned from close company. This does not mean abandoning or despising struggling people; it means guarding the influences that are shaping my own conduct.

“Private battles will determine my public war.”

The habits no one sees can prepare me either to stand faithfully or to stumble when a visible challenge arrives. Small choices matter.

Responding From What Is Within

Violent people may respond with violence; loving people respond with love. Positive people bring encouragement, hopeful people answer with hope and godly people should increasingly respond with godliness.

My desired response is not governed by the behaviour of the person before me, but by the Spirit of God within me. I want my life to display love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

The Complete Fruit of the Holy Spirit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

— Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV)

• Love: love should be visible in my everyday actions.
• Joy: my joy comes from Jesus, not from perfect circumstances. Praise helps turn my attention toward Him, but a difficult or sorrowful day does not mean that He has abandoned me.
• Peace: I desire the peace of God that surpasses understanding, even in times of difficulty.
• Patience: I want to be patient with family, friends and acquaintances, including those who do not share my faith.
• Kindness: I want to show kindness even when I feel that it has not been earned.
• Goodness: I want to act from good intentions without always seeking something in return.
• Faithfulness: I want to be dependable in my relationship with God, my commitments and the responsibilities entrusted to me.
• Gentleness: I want to resist violence, harshness, careless words, destructive speech and condemning attitudes.
• Self-control: I want to practise discipline in eating, exercise, work, speech and other bodily desires. Scripture does not rank self-control above the other fruit, but it remains an important area of growth for me.

Letting the Light Be Seen

Small things matter because people are watching the lives of those who say they follow Christ. Jesus calls His people to shine in a way that directs attention toward the Father rather than themselves.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

— Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

Do Not Live Like a Caterpillar When You Are a Butterfly

My reminder to myself was simple: Do not act like a caterpillar when I am a butterfly. In Christ, I have been called into a transformed life.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

This brings to mind Jesus’ call to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him in Luke 9:23. The same call is also recorded in Matthew 16:24. Transformation is not merely a New Year’s idea; it is a daily surrender to Jesus.

Things I Wanted to Be Consistent About in 2017

Physical Health

I wanted to care for my body in a way that honoured God. He gave me this body, and Scripture describes the believer’s body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. My practical commitment was consistent exercise, healthy eating and disciplined habits. See 1 Corinthians 6:19–20.

Spiritual Health

Doing things halfheartedly is not diligence. I wanted to spend time with God morning and night, even if that time began simply by admiring His works and thanking Him for food on the table, a beautiful bird, family, friends and the many other gifts surrounding me.

I also wanted to listen as much as I spoke in prayer. I believed God could draw my attention through both ordinary and unusual circumstances. Any impression, however, should be tested prayerfully against Scripture and God’s revealed character rather than accepted uncritically. See 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

University Studies

I wanted to be diligent and patient in my university studies, even when graduation still appeared several years away. Jacob’s long service in Genesis 29:15–30 reminded me that love and commitment can persevere through years of labour and disappointment. He served seven years before being given Leah and then committed to another seven years for Rachel.

Driving

With faith according to the measure God had given me, I wanted to increase the places to which I could drive during 2017, including Munno Para and Elizabeth. From there, I hoped to consider other locations as my confidence grew and as I prayerfully discerned the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Caring for God’s Creation

Psalm 24:1 declares that the earth belongs to the LORD. As God’s child, I wanted to care more intentionally for His creation and encourage others to do the same. My practical goals were to put more effort into organising Clean Up Australia Day activities and to volunteer time toward tree planting and biodiversity.

Family and Personal Goals

• Isabella: spend more time with her, teach her God’s Word, help with homework, attend school festivities and events, support violin lessons, encourage her strengths and areas for improvement and teach healthy boundaries and limits.
• Archery: aim to join a local club and see where God leads us from there.
• Children’s books: continue writing books that share God’s Word and save toward publication through Xlibris by the end of December.
• YouTube: support Luke as an assistant for his YouTube channel, continue tithing and praising God, offer encouragement and help with administration when needed.
• Family communication: communicate more often through Viber, Facebook or email, remembering that the occasional letter through the post could also be meaningful.

Historical Note

These locations, study plans, publishing hopes, relationships and communication platforms reflect the season in which this resolution was written. I preserve them here as part of my personal record from 2017.

✨ Deep Treasure

An old resolution can remain spiritually alive when it leads back to daily faithfulness. The fruit of the Spirit is not displayed only in dramatic moments. It appears in quiet generosity, teachable responses, disciplined habits, patient study, family care and the decision to follow Jesus again today.

Questions for Personal Reflection

• Which old resolution still reflects something God is asking me to practise today?
• What private habit is preparing me either to stand or to stumble in public?
• Which aspect of the fruit of the Spirit most needs room to grow in my present season?
• Am I serving quietly for God’s glory, or seeking attention for spiritual activity?
• Whose correction should I receive with humility, and what influence may require a wiser boundary?
• What one small, consistent action can I begin again this week?

A Prayer for Consistency

Prayer

LORD, help me to be faithful in both private and public. Grow the complete fruit of Your Spirit in me, teach me to receive wise correction and give me self-control in my words, habits and responsibilities. Let my light direct people toward You, and help me follow Jesus consistently in every season. Amen.

Scripture References

• Philippians 2:14 — working without complaining or arguing.
• Proverbs 10:4; 12:24 — diligence rather than laziness.
• Matthew 6:1–4, 16–18 — giving and fasting without seeking public praise.
• Proverbs 9:7–8; 17:10; 22:24–25 — correction and close influences.
• Galatians 5:22–23 — the complete fruit of the Spirit.
• Matthew 5:16 — letting good works give glory to the Father.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 — the new creation in Christ.
• Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24 — denying oneself, taking up the cross and following Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Psalm 24:1 — honouring God with the body and caring for the earth that belongs to Him.
• Genesis 29:15–30 — Jacob’s years of service for Leah and Rachel.

Topics Covered: New Year’s resolutions, 2017 reflection, Christian consistency, fruit of the Spirit, diligence, correction, self-control, new creation in Christ, taking up the cross, physical health, spiritual health, university study, driving confidence, creation care, family goals and Christian living.