Resolutions vs. Goals

I know I'm a little late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Is it really the 7th already? Wow! So much has been happening in my life since I made my last blog post, but I'm going to save all my personal news for a Newsletter I'll plan to send out to all my subscribers to my new Website, hopefully by the end of this month.  Yes, you heard me right, MY NEW WEBSITE! That is certainly a goal reached in 2018. So excited about that. It is still a work in progress, but I am learning, so bear with me. If you came to my blog via my website, welcome.  I am so glad you were able to follow my links and make it.  

Now on to today's topic "Resolutions vs. Goals," I don't intend for it to sound like a competition between the two. It isn't a competition, it is just a difference, at least in my mind. Unless you have been living in seclusion or screen free the last several weeks, you have probably heard the word "resolution" many times. Usually, when I hear someone talking about a resolution, they use the word interchangeably with the word goal. I hear about how resolutions are rarely kept more than a few days or weeks into a new year. As I pondered these things, I decided to delve a little deeper into the meaning of resolution.

One of Merriam-Webster's definitions is: "The act or process of resolving." Resolving? I looked that up.  Merriam-Webster's dictionary led me to resolved. The two most applicable definitions for this I found were: "to reach a firm decision about" and "fixity of purpose".  Ok, we are getting closer to the real meaning of resolution. The words firm and fixity (a word I haven't heard before...), are not for the weak. There is no room for waffling. If you have made a resolution, a real resolution, there has to be more to it than just wanting to do something new or different. 

While I was thinking about these things, the words resolved and purpose, reminded me of my favorite book in the Bible: Daniel. Specifically, I was reminded of this verse about Daniel;

Daniel 1:8: 

English Standard Version:

"But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself."

King James Bible: (This is the version I grew up with.)

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."

Why did Daniel resolve or purpose these things? It wasn't because he didn't want to gain weight or some other superficial reason. It was because he wanted to keep God's law regarding what he could and could not eat as an Israelite. He made that choice even though it could have gotten him killed (remember he was a slave in captivity). His beliefs about what was right and wrong, led him to make his resolution. Another example from the book of Daniel, is the story of Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego. They were also Israelites, Hebrew, slaves. The King of Babylon had pronounced that anyone who didn't fall down and worship the statue of himself, whenever a slew of musical instruments started playing, would be thrown into a "fiery furnace". This is what they said to the king, when he warned them what would happen:

Daniel 3:16-18:

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

If you know the story, then you know that the king did throw them into the furnace after heating it 7 times hotter than normal, but God delivered them. They not only survived, but they didn't even smell like smoke.

My point is this, though. They resolved in their hearts that they would not worship anyone or anything other than the Lord God no matter the consequences. That is a resolution, to do or not do something based on your beliefs. That is way more serious and long lasting than saying, "I want to lose 20 pounds this month."  You may or may not say out loud something you are resolved to do, but the truth of the matter is, your beliefs determine what you do or do not do all the time. The issue is, that many people say they believe something, but their resolutions do not prove it. 

I know my focus has been on the word resolution. I don't think making goals is as serious as making resolutions, but I do think it is still important to have goals. Don't mistake wishes and dreams for goals, though. Think of goals as the legs or wheels to your wishes and dreams.  They can't go anywhere unless you give them a way to move forward. In a race, you can't just wish yourself to the prize, it takes one step at a time to make it. Figuring out those steps, comes along the way, but you need to know where to start. We don't know what is around the bend in the road, so we may only reach one little goal at a time. For each goal you meet though, you are that much closer to the finish line.

Goals 📋📆🎉

  

Some of my goals for this year are:

1. Get my first book published.

2. Finish my second book.

3. Lose weight. 

4. Walk regularly.

5. Learn how to balance the different areas of my life.

6. Organize my house.

7. Improve my website. 

8. Learn more about writing and platforms.

9. Go to ACFW

I could probably think of more, but you get the idea. If I'm not able to do all of these, it will be ok. If I can at least accomplish some things on this list, improve, do better, etc., I will consider my year a success. If I don't write these down and make a plan for each one, I will probably not make any significant progress, though. Making a plan, starting the process, learning what I need to know to do to succeed...it's a process and every step towards that goal is a step in the right direction.

Whether you are making goals or resolutions, pray about it. Seek the Lord's Will for you and I hope whatever He has in store for you this year, you will learn to trust Him, the Lord Jesus, more or maybe for the first time ever. Either way, life is sweeter when you try to live the life you were created for.

May God bless you and your family this year. I would love it if you would subscribe here and at my website.  I plan to add some new content there this week.  Today has been so busy, I have been writing this in bits and pieces, but that's just the way it goes for a Homemaker/Writer. 

In Christ,

Sandy