Pastor Perspectives | New Year, same old resolutions

By Rev. Joe Tolin
Kingman Presbyterian Church

Well, it is that time of year. Cookies, candy, fudge, pies, Thanksgiving dinner, and now Christmas dinner are all or are nearly behind us. Your clothes may be a little snug. The image you see in the mirror may cause you some anxiety. So what do most of us do? We join a gym, start a diet, and if we do not join a gym we make promises about starting an exercise program. We say to ourselves, “We are going to get into shape this year.” Many of us make the same resolutions every year. The latest research shows that less than ten percent of people keep these resolutions. By the end of January, close to seventy percent of people have stopped trying completely.

I would like to make a suggestion as one who has successfully kept some resolutions and at times has been part of the seventy percent that gave up before the end of January. I offer these suggestions as one who believes that our spiritual well-being coincides with our physical well-being. As we age and activities become more difficult, being spiritually fit helps us to properly cope with these changes. I believe that exercise and a proper diet are necessary for a healthy body. I encourage both. But I would also like to suggest some resolutions for your spiritual vitality.

If I could have one wish for the congregation that I serve it would be that every member would commit to daily Bible reading and prayer. Some will argue that daily Bible reading is not commanded in Scripture. However, I believe that one of the ways that we express our thankfulness to God for giving us His Word and allowing us to have access to it is by reading it. I remember about ten years ago I watched a video of a tribe in Papua New Guinea who were receiving the Bible in their language for the first time ever. This village was so remote that the copies had to be flown in by plane. The people of that village dressed up in their celebratory clothing and waited with great anticipation. The Bible was coming to them in their own language. Finally, they would have God’s Word to read and study. I do not believe I have ever seen a more thankful people.

I understand that many get intimidated because the Bible is a big book. It takes the average reader about fifteen minutes to read three to four chapters of the Bible. If you did that every day in 2025, you would read all by the end of the year. Fifteen minutes a day is not that big of a commitment. It might be the best commitment you ever make.

The second resolution I believe would reap great spiritual benefits is for Christians to commit to attending church every Sunday. If you are sick, stay home. But if you are well, do not find an excuse for not attending. Your soul will not be fed any other way than by what God has designed. God has designed the gathering of His people together is an encouragement and a great spiritual benefit. I remember a day in church where there were awards given out for perfect attendance. More than a few people received those commendations. While an award is certainly not a perfect motivation for attending church, church attendance during those years was much higher than today. Make a commitment to attend church regularly in the upcoming year.

A third resolution that would pay spiritual dividends is to seek to foster fellowship with other believers in your church. Loneliness is an epidemic in our nation. Fellowship with other believers is both a cure and an inoculation. Get to know people. Talk to them. Here is my confession. I am a natural introvert. I understand that it can be difficult to do this. But you will make friends that will last longer than just this life. These friendships continue into eternity.

My encouragement to you as this year comes to a close and a new year is here, is to incorporate some spiritual resolutions into your life. I believe that you will be surprised how much you grow in your faith this year and how many people you get to know and love. Maybe even Sunday will become your favorite day of the week. May your new year be blessed by our gracious, loving Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.