|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 NLT
Bad News: Forty-five percent of Americans say they make New Year’s resolutions, but only eight percent keep them.
Let’s consider the history of New Year’s resolutions.
The earliest recorded resolution was made by a Babylonian about 4,000 years ago. For centuries, the Jews have celebrated four new years in a single year. Julius Caesar started the Julian calendar, which gave us January 1st as New Year’s Day. Early Christians considered the first day of the new year a time of forgiveness for past mistakes and resolutions for improvement. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Movement, held renewal services on New Year’s Eve.
As I researched the historical notes of Babylonians, Romans, Jews, early Christians, and modern Christians, I wondered, “Did any culture in four thousand years of history have a better success rate than eight percent?”
Probably not. HHHHMMMHHM!
I’m not an enemy of Planet Fitness™ or Weight Watchers™, but perhaps we should focus our New Year’s resolutions on godliness rather than physical training. Instead of fixating on our supposed flaws at the end of each year, maybe we should seek the glory of God.
We make our lives miserable in January, thinking about what we can’t eat, having guilty feelings for not going to the gym enough, and all this self-suffering during the greyest month of the year (at least in Ohio). Why don’t we convince ourselves to do something pleasurable?
If I suggest we vow to get up at 4 a.m. daily for prayer in 2025 — few takers. If I offer a free Caribbean cruise to anyone who emails me after reading this Interruption, I’d surpass the eight percent flunk rate.
However, a metaphorical Caribbean cruise was exactly what the Apostle Paul suggested when he wrote, “Godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
Resolutions have one goal — benefits, pleasure, enjoyment, happiness etc., etc. In another of his books, Paul describes the results (goals) of godliness. . .
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB).
Great results! Let’s do one more set of fasting and prayer.
Can we guarantee peace and joy by crushing our weightlifting goals or running a six-minute mile? Perhaps it’s best to emphasize spiritual training.
Monks in Medieval times, frustrated with their lusts, anxieties, and fears, sold everything for solitary lives only to discover that after renouncing an evil world, they still lusted along with having anxieties and fears. Learning it’s best to stop focusing on subjugating the flesh, they elevated the Spirit, finding joy in daily tasks, hope in prayer, and peace through worship.
I agree with the Apostle Paul and the ancient monks that godliness brings benefits now and in eternity.
I haven’t yet promoted a specific resolution in 2025. . .
Let’s read Interruptions and get a 100 percent readership rate in 2025!