This post is for the person who feels like they need to wait until January to make better choices.
A call to start small—where you are. with what you know. and what you have.
Make time now to do what matters for eternity, whether it’s January 1st, July 18th, or December 5th.

Ah, December! The month when excess abounds around us and inside us in the form of presents, rich foods, and social activities.

Then we hit January. And suddenly the emphasis is on cutting back and enforcing discipline—whether it’s through reformed physical, mental, or spiritual habits. Bible reading plans are distributed, gyms are joined, book lists are created, and leafy greens are bought (unless, of course, they’re on recall. In which case, stick with the ice cream).

But if there’s an area of your life that you want to change—or perhaps an area in which you need to change—then I have a question for you:

Why wait?

Why wait to begin that Bible reading plan? Does it matter if you start reading Genesis on December 8th or January 1st? Why wait to get more exercise? Won’t it be easier to start incorporating healthy habits now rather than waiting until the festivities are over? And what about those relationships you want to improve? Is there something magical about the new year that makes discipline easier and more attainable?

What am I suggesting?

You don’t have to wait until January.

I’m going to go on record and make a bold statement. If you wait until January 1st to change the things that need changing, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t stick with it through the year, much less make a permanent lifestyle change. Why? Because your change is based more on “A Goal for the New Year!” than a desire to improve your life.

Let’s use the example of a Bible reading plan, shall we?

I used to think that if I wanted to read the Bible through in a year, I should wait until the first day of January to begin. There seemed to be something almost magical about making up a list of goals for my year and crossing each day off beginning with January 1st. Read Genesis 1-3? Check! 

But if there are areas of my life that need to be changed, doesn’t it make sense to change them now? If reading the Bible is not a daily part of your life, why wait until January? Is there something especially holy about reading the Bible cover to cover between the period of January 1-December 31? Or is it more about dwelling richly in the Word, beginning today?

This is not about getting rid of yearly Bible reading plans; it’s about completing more than just a reading plan.

Look beyond the goal of reading through the Bible in 12 months to consider what your soul needs today. Perhaps you’ll read through the Bible several times in a few different versions. Maybe you’ll listen to the Bible throughout your day. Or maybe you’ll learn how to really study a book of the Bible (here’s a great book that taught me how to do an inductive Bible study).

Let’s not be satisfied with a good looking list of goals for the new year.
Instead, let’s prayerfully consider what God wants to change in our lives and ask him to change us, beginning today.

Start small—where you are. with what you know. and what you have.
Make time now to do what matters for eternity—whether it’s January 1st, July 18th, or December 5th.

Here’s another post geared towards careful thinking about the new year:

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