Are you making New Year’s resolutions? According to surveys, half of adults make New Year’s Resolutions.
The same survey showed that 75% of respondents stick with their resolutions for at least one week, 71% for two weeks and 64% for more than a year. It drops to 46 per cent of those who keep their New Year’s resolutions for six months.
Are you one of the most popular? These include losing weight, quitting, saving more money, finding a better job, being more organized, exercising more, being more patient with others, eating better, and becoming a better person.
Have you ever wondered how this tradition began? It may have started as far back as Babylonians, who had a flourishing empire before Christ’s birth. It is also believed that the first day after Christ’s ascension, early Christians believed that it should be used to reflect on the past and resolve to make improvements in the coming year.
One person once said that a New Year’s resolution is something that can be carried out over the next year. Another anonymous source stated, “Many people look forward the new year to a fresh start on old habits.”
John Burroughs, American writer and naturalist, stated that “One resolution” was something he made and tries to keep.
Jonathan Edwards, an 18th century minister, was 17 when he sat down and wrote 21 resolutions by 1722. He later expanded his list to include 70 resolutions he decided to live by.
Edwards wrote: “Being aware that I am incapable of doing anything without God’s assistance, I do humbly implore Him by His grace for me to keep these Resolutions, so long as they are agreeable. For Christ’s sake, it is a lifetime-long promise to myself to “Remember to go over these Resolutions once per week.”
We would be wise to keep the 21 resolutions he has listed. “Resolved to never lose one minute of time, but to make it as profitable as possible. Resolved to live my life with all of my might. Resolved to never do anything that I would be afraid of doing, even if it was the end of my life. Resolved to never do anything for revenge.
There are many Scriptures that can be used to make resolutions. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a good example of how I would live. “Trust in God with all your heart and don’t rely on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
Keep in mind the words of Benjamin Franklin all year: “Resolve not to perform what is expected; perform without fail whatever you resolve.” Henry Moore, a famous sculptor may have found the best way to keep New Years Resolutions. He said that he thinks in terms of the day and not the year. So, take each day as it comes.
Jan White has collected a selection of her columns in her book “Everyday Faith for Daily Life”
The article Resolutions made famous people was first published on The AndalusiaStar-News.
