As we say goodbye to the year 2025 and hello to 2026, many of us hope that things will be different for the better. We hope for health, prosperity, and an improvement in our own lives.
Many people make resolutions to better themselves. To lose weight, to make more friends, to read more books, to show more care or concern for others. These are all wonderful goals to strive for and if you have made these or something else your New Years resolution, I pray that you can stick to it and make a positive change in your life.
Often though we have a desire to change for the better and we might even stick to our resolution for a few days, weeks, or months, but then many of us fall back into the same bad habits that crush our New Year’s goals and ambitions. I myself speak from experience and am guilty of this offense. The desire to fall back in the old ways and the old poor habits is just too great.
We all want to change for the better, but we often find ourselves falling back to the same mistakes, the same sins, the same temptations, etc.
The apostle Paul wrote, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” (Romans 7:15-20)
This might seem like a tongue twister, but all Paul is saying is I want to do good; I want to change for the better. I want to be a good Christian, but I can’t. For Paul realizes that his own sinful flesh keeps pulling him back to make the same mistakes and to commit the same sins.
Paul also gives us hope for himself and for us all for all those who desire to change for the better, ends with these words, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)
Paul realizes that the one who can change is dirty rotten sinful life around in Jesus and Paul would know. Paul was called by God to be a Christian and an apostle of Christ Jesus, but before this he was a horrendous human being. Paul thought God wanted him to hunt and kill Christians, so he did. Even this murder this persecution of Christians and the Christian church, Jesus turned his heart around. By God’s work Paul becomes perhaps the greatest of the apostles and does missionary work proclaiming to many people about Jesus Christ in his lifetime.
If you want to make a change this new year start by turning toward Jesus. Jesus who died for you and your sin who by the power of his word can change the worst of people to follow him. Pray to Jesus, come to church, read the Bible, for what Jesus offers you is life giving, lifesaving and live changing. May God bless you and your families this new year as we all seek to grow in our faith toward him and our love toward one another.
