My New Year's Resolution (2024)

Out with the old, in with the new... or maybe not?

Every January 1st renews our vigor, spurring us to take on feats we never ventured to conquer even a few days prior. There is something inherently hopeful about newness – and that hope empowers. In many ways, a new year translates to a clean slate. A chance to do something different and redeem lost time. Some skeptics may roll their eyes at setting a New Year's resolution, dismissing it as naive optimism. And the widely-joked-about drop in gym attendance between January and February attests to that fact. That was me not too long ago. But I'm learning that the practice of reflecting on all that a new year can bring, and living into it, is quite liturgical. In a sense, we are rehearsing new creation and re-creation, the promise of the coming kingdom. It is the reality of us being transformed into a new creation through Christ's death and resurrection that enables us to walk in new-ness of life. It is God's new mercies every morning that empower us to live each day more Christlike than the last (not that we do this perfectly, by any means). And it is His ultimate promise of making everything new that gives us hope to press on 'til the end. Newness is good. And much like our sanctification, we have much to learn from the process alone of realizing our resolution. So, I think setting a new resolution every new year is quite beautiful... ironically, though, my "New Year's resolution" is actually to focus on the old.

I'll be the first to thank the Lord that I'm no perfectionist. If you need a task executed fairly and quickly, I'm your person. Notice, I didn't say perfect. Any paper I've written for a class, I would go over once thoroughly, maybe do a second skim, but rarely venture a third look. I've hardly ever sacrificed sleep to study for an exam. If that meant getting a lower grade, so be it. I had a very perceptive professor once comment that I was doing "well" but I could be doing so much better if I invested more time. To this day, I can't figure out how she knew that it was a lack of discipline, not ability. I see it now even in my hobbies. I'm quick to pick something up, work on it until I've achieved an acceptable level of proficiency (according to me, anyway), and then move on to the next thing. It's the same reason I thoroughly enjoy writing new songs, new blogs, etc. and sigh deeply at the thought of fine-tuning them to excellence. A childhood characterized by change (and adulthood, honestly – if you are a control-freak, ministry will pummel the rigidity out of you) has made me appreciate the value of being quick on your feet. At the same time, I recognize that as an artist and even a human for that matter, it is good for us to patiently sit with our work and do our due diligence in ensuring that it is the best that it can be in accordance with our limited abilities. Not only is pursuing excellence a way in which we glorify God, it can also be a practice of actively denying the flesh by cultivating patience, dependence, self-control, and faithfulness. When we "dig our heels in" and see a creative work through its entire life-cycle, we open ourselves to witnessing all that God can do with our gifts. While the work will never truly be "finished" this side of perfection, we can rest knowing we've been faithful and watch it forge the path God has for it, beyond our critical irises and harsh red ink. This is why, for 2024, my resolution is to sit with the "old" – old songs, old (and unpublished) blogs, old hobbies – and see them through to excellence. Specifically in the case of music, it would be seeing them through to recording and actually releasing them! (And if you are reading this and know me personally... *gulp*... I give you permission to hold me accountable to that.)

If setting a New Year's resolution isn't for you, I understand. If you've already set one, let me know what it is in the comments or some other way – I'm curious! But if you're teetering between doing it or not, let this be your encouragement to take the leap. What's the worst that could happen? You find out you're a weak human in need of God's grace and mercy every moment of every day? :-)

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." Ecclesiastes 9:10

Oh, and by the way... Happy New Year!