Happy New Year! It’s the time of year we make resolutions to improve our physical health, our relationships with other people, or complete unfinished business. Our spiritual health is no less important. Here are some suggestions for New Year’s Resolutions for your spiritual well- being.
1. Resolve to read one book of the Bible again and again. With every reading you will find something that you hadn’t noticed before, or appreciate a familiar story passage in a new way. I particularly recommend Mark, the source of most of the gospel readings used in Sunday worship this year.
2. Resolve to invite one person to church this year who may be looking for a church home. The vast majority of people who join a church say that they were first invited to do so by a friend.
3.    Resolve to read a genuine Christian spiritual classic.    A classic is a book that has something to say beyond its original target audience to people in all times and places. Consider:
A Diary of Daily Prayer by John Baillie A Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh Your God is Too Small by J. B. Phillips
Our wonderfully organized and maintained church library may well have a book waiting for you with a tremendous blessing. Check it out (the library) and then check it out (the book).
4. Resolve to write a letter of thanks to someone who has been for you a help in time of need, a wise counselor, or who has taught you an important life lesson. If you can’t think of anyone you haven’t thanked already, think again.
5. Resolve to make a list of three to five very annoying people. Then pray for each of them every day for one week.
6. Resolve to be silent before God. Each day at the same time (if possible) turn off the radio, TV, and computer; don’t read anything. Just be quiet in God’s presence. (“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.) Not more than 5 minutes at first. For our culture, this is probably the hardest resolution to keep—though likely the most profitable.
7. Resolve to be a regular at the monthly Taize service. This is a contemplative style of worship that provides a corrective to the demands of our hectic daily routines.
8. Resolve to be a part of at least one on-going group in the church—a committee, Wednesday Night Live, the Men’s or Women’s Bible Study groups, a Sunday School class, the choir— whatever it may be, be a part of the give and take of discipleship and fellowship. If the group you need doesn’t currently exist in the church, get one started. The pastor and the session will help you to get it going.
With warmest wishes for a happy and blessed 2012, Stephen