Every year 40% of Americans make new year resolutions and every year 90% of those 40% give up by February (stastita.com). I am not sure if any of you are or have made a new year resolution but through the coarse of this week I want to give you 7 resolutions that you might consider, especially if you claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that I pray and hope you do not give up on. These 7 resolutions are not so much resolutions as much as they are appeals for which every follower of Jesus should aim for, if you are indeed a Christian.
Resolution 1: Go into this year with proper focus.
How many of you think the year 2022 was stressful? If you do, you’re not alone. I think overall we live in a stressed out nation. Last year, according to the American Psychological Association, 75% of Americans – that’s three quarters of America – reported experiencing health impacts due to stress. That includes headaches, fatigue, feeling nervous or anxious, feeling depressed or sad, and being quick-tempered or snappy. And according to that same poll Young Adults are being most affected by the times we live in.
How many of you are hoping this new year will be less stressful? On the website of the American Psychological Association they offer some advice on what to do during stressful times. They say disrupt negative thinking, do something unexpected, take control where you can, don’t judge yourself against others, take your own advice, and don’t look for a rescuer.
I especially like the first one: “disrupt negative thinking”. How do we do that? How do we disrupt the negative thoughts that so often creep into our minds? Paul’s letter to the believers in Colossae offers some advice.
In Colossians 3:1 and 2, Paul writes, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Paul is telling those believers to stop setting their sights on the realities of this world and start setting their sights on the realities of heaven. In addition, he tells them to stop thinking about the things of this world and start thinking about the things of the Kingdom of God. And I believe that is still good instruction for us today.
Practically speaking, what that means is that we strive to put heaven’s priorities above our worldly priorities. It means that we concentrate on those things that are eternal rather than temporal. It means that we look at life from God’s perspective and seek what he desires, which we find in the Scriptures. It means that we shift our focus from the worries and hopelessness of this world to the peace and joy that awaits us in the Kingdom of God.
Now, one piece of advice the APA gave that I totally disagree with is that last one – “don’t look for a rescuer.” I believe that’s terrible advice. I believe the opposite should be done. I believe one of the best things you can do to help reduce stress is look for a rescuer and that rescuer is Jesus Christ. It was Jesus who said, “In me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The best course of action anyone can take when they are going through stressful times is look to Jesus; he can give you peace in your troubled times.