Sanctification through New Year's resolutions????

Well, it's January 11, 2007 and I wonder how many have already stumbled and/or completely given up keeping (or even remembering) their New Year's resolutions?

I sometimes use the new calendar year to "kick off" a new practice or serve as a benchmark for some renewed effort. But I'm not in the habit of making resolutions each New Year. I'm not opposed to resolutions, neither were Jonathan Edwards and many other "Church Fathers", but their example was more of a "life" of resolution(s). Which brings to my mind the Biblical principle of sanctification ("What is Sanctification?" Answer: Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.--Westminster Shorter Catechism; Question 35).

In light of this, I found the recent series at Girl Talk to be very encouraging and insightful. The series begins with, Keeping Our Resolutions by Carolyn Mahaney (wife of C.J. Mahaney), and is followed by these posts by her daughters, Righting Wrong Resolutions, Pick One, Tell Someone and finally, Keep At It.

I've enjoyed these posts, but what stands out most to me is their encouragement to "pick one". I think this is wise counsel in our day and culture of "mulit-tasking" and "instant gratification". These ladies most definitely understand the "battle" we share in growing in grace and obedience in our Xian life. Enjoy!