Rethinking New Year’s Resolutions

By Susan Young Thornton

Experts say a core spiritual practice – even if it’s only a few minutes a day – and a commitment to working with others are key to keeping resolutions.

On January 4, 2024, Yonat Shimron, wrote in religionnews.com, “If New Year’s resolutions are hard to keep, it’s because the whole concept is made into a test of personal virtue or dreary personal failure.”

As one who has assiduously avoided making New Year’s resolutions, this first sentence intrigued me. What followed caused me to stop, think, and declare “yes!” Shimron asserts, “… success may lie in thinking collectively, rather than individually.”

Quoting Norman Wirzba, a professor of Christian theology at Duke Divinity School, he continues, “… resolutions that last are more likely to involve things that make the world a better place, like working with refugees, restoring wetlands, tutoring kids, donating money, running for school board. The contribution that a person makes may be small, but the rewards of being a part of something bigger than yourself may be very big.”

That list resonated, we Jesus followers are called to welcome the stranger, care for God’s good creation, recite God’s mighty deeds to our children (Deuteronomy 6:7), care for the poor, the widow, the prisoner, give cheerfully, love God and neighbor, do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.

This is the work not only of each of us, but also of the church. What if churches made New Year’s resolutions? What if instead of looking inward they focused outward? Engaged with a hurting and broken world? Joined in the good work already being done by other faith communities and community organizations?

For most it would be lifting up and recommitting to the good work they are already doing and inviting more people to join them. So many of our churches are working for a better world – hastening the Kin-dom of God in the here and now. You can read about one such project, Patrick’s Purpose, in News from Around the Presbytery; and explore more on our website.

We all know that when we partner with others we are held accountable to our own personal good intentions but also hold the whole group to the good work we have promised to do together. As January comes to a close, what resolution might you make? What might your faith community resolve to do together?

You can read Shimron’s article here.

Another focus of the piece was slowing down and grounding ourselves in a spiritual practice…. We’ll explore that another day.