You may not be surprised to hear that most New Year’s resolutions don’t last. Unfortunately only about 9% of people who set resolutions actually achieve them. After a few weeks or months of starting out strong, life gets in the way and we lose momentum with the good habits we established in the beginning.
The same thing can be said sometimes with our walk with Christ. When we come to know Jesus and put our faith in Him, He changes our life. We are excited about Him, and everything in life is a contrast to what it was before. But over the long haul, how do you keep that motivation going?
We need to make sure we learn to cultivate our relationship with Christ by spending regular time with Him. By making the decision to create a small change, it eventually becomes a habit. If we try to do too much at once, we become discouraged and end up giving up and scrapping the whole idea of the change. The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Here are 3 ways you can stay motivated in a relationship with Jesus…
1. Plan For Obstacles
One of the most difficult things about our season of changes is leaving the past behind. As we progress forward and mature in Christ, He will make our path clear for what lies ahead for us. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-15 (NIV): “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”
2. Set Yourself Up For Success
Open up His Word and spend regular time there. A significant part of sustaining our relationship with the Lord is to spend time in God’s Word every day. During the days when I don’t, I really see a difference in my eternal perspective (and my lack of). There are many read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year type of programs. You can go online and look at devotional books that help lead you through Scripture. There are Bible Study Groups with weekly study groups. Join with a friend so you both encourage one another to stay committed. This helps some with the accountability because you’re asking each other, “How did you do in your daily reading?”
Prayer NEEDS to be integrated into our time in God’s Word. We turn to prayer because it is the most personal way to experience God, to encounter Him, to grow in knowledge of Him and to keep from becoming stale. God’ desire for us to pray can be found in Ephesians 6:18 (NIV), “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
3. Learn From Your Mistakes
God already knows what our day will hold. That is what makes our life exciting: trusting that God knows what is going to happen today and is going to give us opportunities to represent Him. All of these things help us stay passionate about our relationship with the Lord. In Philippians 3, Paul begins by stating he is not yet perfect, but is working toward living more like Christ. He does not focus on the past, but on the future. He is committed to the goal of the calling of Christ Jesus.
Our relationship with Christ is a love relationship, and although we certainly want to be obedient and obey his word even when we don’t feel like it, we need to ask God daily to be present in our lives. We can trust He’ll answer that prayer because He has promised us in Matthew 28:20 (KJV), “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Open To Change
As we look ahead at this coming year, my challenge to you is to be open to change. But more simply make it a priority to actually do your part to create change. Make changes that will benefit your life and impact you—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
One thing I can guarantee everyone is that this year is going to come and go, and we are either going to come out the other side better, worse, or the same. Life happens, but what we all choose to do with our lives life is completely up to each of us. King Solomon, considered the wisest man who ever lived, writes in Proverbs 16:9 (ESV), “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” 1 Chronicles 16:11 (ESV) says, “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually!” In seeking Jesus, we become united with him, made one in Spirit. And as we become one, our relationship and motivation grows, with us wanting more of Him.
