Why New Year's resolutions fail

Another new year.  Another fresh start.

Healthy foods will be purchased.

Gyms will be packed.

Resolutions made.

At least for the next few weeks.

Have you ever wondered why most of us continue to fail at keeping the promises we make to ourselves every January 1st?  We have good intentions. We're determined to do things differently with the next 12 months we've been given.  None of us plan to fail...and yet we do. Before we know it we've slipped back into our old habits.  With a sigh we resign ourselves to the fact that "this is just how it's always going to be".

The problem for most of us is we're focusing on the wrong things. We're concerned with changing the outside, the parts people can see, but find it far easier to simply ignore the underlying issues.  And there are always underlying issues.

We want to loose weight, but are afraid to ask ourselves why we overeat in the first place. 

 

We want to work out, but don't want to give up our habits of laziness and inactivity. 

Improving our marriage may be on our list this year, but we're too stubborn to look at the junk we're carrying that affects intimacy.  

We desire that anger not control our lives, but are afraid to explore what might actually be the root cause of this outward emotion.

A relationship needs mending, but we don't want to acknowledge our part in the problem. 

The outward stuff we can forcibly change...at least for the short term.  I can be nicer, less angry, make better food choices, but without the proper focus it will simply be a flash in the pan.  The heart issues take work - real, hard, messy work and most of us aren't willing to go there.  Turning our hearts over to the One who can do the surgery required is terrifying, but it's the only way to make a true change.  Otherwise our good intentions are simply polishing off a bit of the dirt and we will find ourselves in the same place next January...with a whole lot of wishes and not a lot of change.  

We are all broken people with good intentions.  We desperately need a perfect God who can take our brokenness and turn it into something beautiful.

God, create a pure heart in me, and renew a right attitude within me.  Psalm 51:10

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  2 Corinthians 5:17

He changes us from the INSIDE out so that His light shines through our brokenness.  

Now THAT is a resolution we can count on!