New Year's Procrastinations

There's a natural tendency for people to set goals at the beginning of what may be described as new chapters in their lives. For example, it is very common to set certain goals at the outset of a new job, a new school year, or upon moving to a new place, etc. It's quite logical to do so because the new environment and new people encountered in these situations may facilitate change. Another common practice that is more arbitrary (and, arguably, less consequential) than the afore-mentioned examples is that of New Year's resolutions.

It would be a bit too cynical to immediately dismiss all such resolutions as completely pointless; certainly, some folks have success in setting and adhering to new annual goals. It would likewise be a bit too optimistic to reckon that by merely delineating some noble pursuits at the beginning of 2026, all of them will be reached. Too often, optimists of this nature will burn out after a very short while, give up, and repeat the cycle come the next year.

A prevalent example in the USA is seen in the surge of gym memberships at the beginning of each year. (Such a membership is used as a convenient illustration for the purpose of this article, though it should be noted that this article isn't advocating for use of public gyms in the US, given the rampant immodesty on display in them). There's a very large portion of the population that is very out of shape; so, it's no wonder why so many New Year's resolutions involve exercise.

But just as inevitable as the surge in gym memberships occurs, there is a sharp drop in them after a few weeks into the new year. Why is this? After a great deal of time spent not exercising, it is very inconvenient to begin exercising on a regular basis. One must take time out of a busy schedule previously used for other things.

Then there is the arduous task of learning new exercises, buying work-out equipment, changing one's diet, risking injury, and so on. It requires a large departure from one's comfort zone. People are naturally resistant to such large deviations in routine. Hence, the temporary enthusiast slides back into a more familiar and convenient state of stagnation after a few weeks or a month or two.

What does this have to do with being a faithful Christian? Simply interchange the physical exercise given as an example above with spiritual exercise. Paul emphasizes what a Christian's priority should be, using the same terms:

But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come (1 Tim. 4:7-8).

Setting New Year's resolutions for spiritual exercise is subject to the same short-term motivational burnout associated with the physical exercise phenomenon. If someone truly desires to get his body into shape, it requires persistent discipline, and the pursuit of that goal will not be bound arbitrarily to the start of the year. If it's actually a problem, then the work needs to begin now. How much more so is this true regarding spiritual health?

If a sinful habit (e.g., drinking, filthy language, sexual immorality, lying, etc.) plagues an individual, he resolves to kick the habit at the start of the year, but then he fails to do so. He has mimicked the pattern observed in a gym membership. After a short while of proper exercise, the individual gives up because it's too hard, inconvenient, or whatever excuse sounds good at the time. He then delays doing what he knows ought to be done.

All too often, New Year's resolutions are sugarcoated procrastinations. They are things that one should seek to rectify at any time of the year. Resolving to start serving God and breaking a sinful habit is a good attitude. Resolving to do so in a few months when January 1st rolls around betrays a remarkably un-Christian attitude. In any of Paul's letters to errant churches, did he ever say, implicitly or explicitly, that it would be okay for them to continue in their sins for a little while and wait until a specific holiday or the new year to repent and start obeying God? Obviously not.

On the contrary, he was keen to remind them "…that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2). In no uncertain terms, Paul told them and tells us not to gamble with tomorrow, because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. If we can't even be sure of the next day, why, oh, why would we delay until the next year?

Christians should not be like the world with their misplaced reverence of some days over others. Many "Christians" sincerely believe that Easter is a sacred day of remembrance for Christ's death. It is silly to think that we are to take only one day out of each year to commemorate His death (or that we're supposed to be extra mindful on one particular day), since we're told to do so every Sunday until He comes again (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:26). It is equally silly to forego repentance till the start of a new year when we're supposed to be serving God faithfully all year round.

Is there anything inherently wrong with making New Year's resolutions? No. Can those resolutions be thinly-veiled excuses to not take care of a problem that rightfully deserves attention today? Yes. If your body has a health problem that needs taking care of, then would it not be foolish to put off fixing it till some arbitrary spot on the calendar. How much more so, for your soul's health, should transgressions be repented of immediately?