The Only Resolution You Need For 2024

Day 1/365

We need only one resolution for 2024, and it’s the most life-changing resolution we’ll ever make.

To be clear, I have a few goals, things I’d like to leave behind, and things I’d like to start up this year, and I’m sure you do, too. I applaud that! But this resolution will chart the course for ALL of those things.

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The Resolution:

Stay In God’s Face • Listen For His Voice • Be Obedient

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This is a challenging resolution. In fact, It’s going to take everything you’ve GOT.

The good news is it will give you everything back tenfold.

Those goals and resolutions we have? They’re great, but they won’t matter if God doesn’t endorse them. We’ll end up quitting halfway through or fighting an uphill battle. We may even win the battle! By sheer determination, we might accomplish the goal, check the box, or receive the thing, but we will still be HUNGRY. You’ll eat that goal and think, “Okay, cool, what’s next?” hardly digesting it before moving down the list. You might win, but you still won’t be satisfied if God did not put His seal of approval on it. I am uniquely qualified to speak on this because I have set and accomplished goal after goal and have still ended up spiritually on E (empty). I know somebody can relate to this. I feel it. I’m convinced it’s not a gratitude issue; it’s a lack of God’s direction issue. So, allow me to break down the three portions of the resolution.

Part 1: Stay In God’s Face

We have to initiate a deeper relationship with God to know God’s will. We want something deep and juicy, not lukewarm and off and on! Think about that person that only hits you up when they want something from you. My eyes just rolled to the back of my head at the thought! Ha! God is way more patient and graceful than you or I will ever be; He wants us to come to Him, period. But seeking Him when things are going well, when things are going wrong, when things seem stagnant, to simply say what’s up, and to praise Him is needed for intimacy. For that rich and loving relationship we’re looking for, we need to personally reach out to Him and read His word consistently. To make it simple, just like when we’re dating someone, we spend time with them; we want to hear about their background, we want to know their opinion on xy and z, we want to know what they like and dislike, and so on. We need to do this first and foremost. Otherwise, how can we tell when He is speaking to us?

Part 2: Listen For His Voice

Okay, I’m about to shake the table real quick. How many of us have asked/begged/pleaded, “God, what does this mean? “, “God, tell me which way to go!”, “God, send me a sign!”? What if He’s BEEN talking, but you didn’t recognize His voice? I’m going to raise my hand here. There have been times I thought, “This must be a sign from God.” Ha! It wasn’t. It was not God-sent. But my desires had me wanting for it to be God-sent so badly! I hardly knew His word and barely had a prayer life, so of course, I misinterpreted my deep desire for His endorsement. Not every deep desire is from God. I fear many are not, but that’s another post for another day. As I’ve grown closer to God, in certain instances, I can better recognize when it’s me vs. when it’s Him, but I want to be aware of Him in ALL cases. Can you imagine the clarity? I’m sure we’d make so many different decisions. Our lives would be so different if we listened to Him first.

Part 3: Be Obedient

Being obedient might be the most painful part. What do you do when God says “No” to the relationship you want to be in? When He says “No” to accepting that opportunity that you think might be amazing for you? When he says “No” to going to that event? On the contrary, what do you do when God tells you to do something? What do you do when He tells you to start that business, but you’ve never wanted to be an entrepreneur? When He tells you to leave the get-together? When He tells you to go into event coordination, but you have a degree in finance? You hear Him, and He is not saying what you want Him to. What then? If there was a place to struggle, it’s probably right here. We’re going to be SALTY! We’re going to want to rebel, buck, and plead. If you’re used to doing what you want, being obedient will be challenging. I’ve been working backward for years by consulting myself and my desires and asking God to bless my endeavors after deciding on my course. “This is what I want, God! Please bless it!” Instead of “I know what I want, but is it also what you want, Lord? If not, please guide me.”

Have you ever gone forth with things you felt you shouldn’t? I’ll admit, I have, and I paid the price! (More than) A few times, God clearly said, “No,” I did it anyway, and you can guess how that turned out! I can laugh at myself about it; it’s funny. But in 2024, I want to move differently. I want to see what listening and obeying do in my life. Don’t you? Our ambition, and our list of goals are beautiful things, but we can only go so far on our own. If we take the focus off of our will, listen, and put all our efforts behind His will, what kind of life will that bring? I’m ready to find out.

Join Me On This Journey

Don’t leave me out here by myself; I need community! A year from now, I want to reflect on this post and talk about what God brought us in 2024. I pray that we stay resolute all year long!