MONDAY MEDITATION

How About a New Year’s Prayer Instead of a New Year’s Resolution?

Pivot your mindset and watch the year unfold with gratitude

Created in Canva by Nancy Blackman, MASF

Spirit, guide me into prayer. Hear my voice as it blends with Yours and all the love you have for me. Help me to move forward in 2023 in the way that You know is perfect and right for me, not what others think. May it be so.

After all, prayer is a form of asking (a petition, if you will) where resolution is an intention. Both are good, right? But think about why so many people fail at resolutions. They have good intentions but something falters along the way. Without a plan, resolutions tend to fail because even the best intention of “I want to lose weight” needs a plan in order for you to make it happen.

And, who here (go ahead and raise your hand … and your head — no shame involved here) can say they have met their resolutions?

The word resolution is also connected to the words determination, single-mindedness, firmness, promise, pledge, promise, undertaking, willpower, inflexibility, stubbornness, doggedness, obstinacy, settlement, and proposition. In the correct situation, these words all make sense.

Now, take a look at the words connected to prayer. They include words like intercession, devotion, invocation, appeal, plea, petition, solicitation, and request. When you pray you are asking God to step in and pave the way. You are committing your faith to God and allowing God to let things be what they may.

When you set out to make a resolution, you are generally creating a promise to do something. It all relies on you — your firmness, your pledge, your promise, etc. You get the idea. To which I say, “where is God in that?”

I want to make a New Year’s prayer, not a resolution. I’m praying for courage. — Susan Sontag

When you create an intention to pray, to ask God for help, you are facing the unknown with God by your side. Doesn’t that sound more inviting?

Reflection

Think of a time when you prayed, and your prayer was answered. What was the prayer? How was it…