With the New Year finally arriving, many folks are beginning the first steps toward completing their New Year’s Resolutions. Some will plan to lose weight, others to learn a new skill, but one faith leader in the Seattle, Washington, area says that their goals should also include faith for a better chance at positive personal development in 2024.
Pastor Jesse Bradley heads the Grace Community Church in the suburbs of Seattle, and he used his platform to speak about the importance of setting goals in one’s faith and relationship with God in the coming year. He then went on to describe ways that individuals could use New Year’s Resolutions as a way to strengthen their faith and gave advice on how to turn those “intentions to consistent actions.”
Bradley spoke to Fox News Digital about the matter as the clock wound down in 2023. Now as we enter 2024, it is not too late to take the advice of the thoughtful pastor. Bradley said, “People all across our country make New Year’s resolutions with great intentions. Exercising, losing weight, spending less time on the phone, drinking less, doing more reading, attending church weekly — the list goes on for what people choose.”
Among those things, Bradley says, should be a goal that improves one’s faith and brings them to a stronger relationship with their Heavenly Father. As one example, Bradley said, “If your resolution is to go to church every Sunday, then having someone who will drive with you is a factor. Or having a family member or friend who will meet you there and sit next to you is helpful.”
Every year we seem to see the same trends. Gyms become full at the beginning of the year, we see grocery stores selling more fruits and vegetables, and our friends lose a pound or two. But after a while, that same tenacity is not present, and with the loss of conviction to achieve the goals comes a lack of a successful result.
Bradley says something similar, but he has a way around it. He said, “We all struggle with sin, procrastination, distraction, temptation and rationalization. But God’s help is paramount to our progress… Prayer is transformative. The Holy Spirit gives us self-control. Worship defeats fears and worries. The Bible gives us God’s perspective. And Jesus inspires us.”
He says that with prayer, a plan can be formed that will allow an individual to meet his or her goals in the New Year. With a thoughtful and prayer-ridden plan, it will be possible to make significant changes in 2024, according to Bradley. That is great news for anyone who feels that they may struggle to achieve their New Year’s Resolutions. As Bradley reminded us, we are not alone in our battles.
He concluded, “Jesus said let your yes be yes and your no be no as you follow Him (Matthew 5:37). Instead of making boastful resolutions and unsuccessfully trying to keep them, there is a different approach. Form a prayerful plan — and involve others who will participate and hold you accountable as you rely on God daily together.”
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