Stop Chasing Resolutions and Start the New Year With God First
Over the years of studying Scripture, I’ve noticed how God marks beginnings in ways we often overlook. The New Year is a perfect example. Most of us rush into resolutions, trying to move forward, but sometimes it feels like running in circles.
Have you ever watched a hamster running on a wheel? The wheel spins faster and faster, going around and around, and the hamster just keeps going with impressive endurance. I can barely make it down the block without needing a break, so I have to admit, I respect the commitment. Still, no matter how fast that wheel spins, the hamster never actually goes anywhere.
That is often how we approach the New Year. Running toward goals, chasing resolutions, and pushing ourselves forward can feel endless. Somehow, despite our efforts, we often end up right where we started. So this year, I want to invite you to do something different. Stop chasing resolutions and start the New Year with God first.
What Does It Really Mean to Put God First
You might be thinking, I already put God first. And that may very well be true. Most of us approach the New Year with good intentions. We use it as a reset. We look back at what went wrong, what we want to improve, and what we hope this next year will look like. Goals are rewritten. Plans are made. A fresh start feels motivating.
Some even dismiss the New Year altogether, viewing it as secular or unnecessary. If God does not operate by our calendar, then why should January matter at all?
But maybe we are looking at the New Year from the wrong point of view.
God Defines the Beginning
Scripture shows us that God is not opposed to beginnings. In fact, He established them. He intentionally marked a beginning of the year for His people, not as a man made tradition, but as a moment tied to remembrance and redemption. The New Year became a time to pause, reflect, and recognize what God had already done before moving forward.
When we rush into resolutions without reflection, it can feel a lot like running hard but never actually moving forward. Putting God first is not just about good intentions. It is about starting where God starts, with remembrance, obedience, and trust rooted in His work rather than our own effort.
Let’s look at how God defined the New Year.
Different Calendars and God’s New Beginning
Over the years, we have used all kinds of calendars to mark the start of the New Year. For example, some began with the winter solstice, others with the spring equinox, and still others with the harvest season. Each culture found its own way to track time and give meaning to a new beginning.
But prior to the modern calendars, the Hebrews were living under the Egyptian calendar, following months and seasons that were not centered on God. Then God stepped in and changed it. He gave them a new starting point, declaring the month of Abib/Nisan:
“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” — Exodus 12:1–2
God was redefining time itself for His people, making the beginning of months a new starting point centered on His work in redemption, not human tradition or the cycles of the world around them.
What It Looks Like to Start the New Year God’s Way
Our calendar tells us the year begins in January. And while that date matters practically, Scripture reminds us that a new year is not defined by a page turning on the calendar.
God defined a beginning differently.
When He brought Israel out of Egypt, He reset their understanding of time itself.
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
Deuteronomy 16:1 KJV
God called Abib the first month because redemption had taken place. Their new year began with remembering what God had done, not with plans for what they hoped to accomplish.
That changes how we approach our own new year.
Instead of chasing resolutions and trying to manufacture change, Scripture invites us to put God first by anchoring our beginning in Him.
Here is what that looks like in real life.
1. Remembering
Before Israel moved forward, they were called to remember.
Remembering has a way of re-centering our hearts. It reminds us who God is, how sovereign He is, and how faithful He has already proven Himself to be.
When we forget, we often start taking credit for everything. Our effort. Our discipline. Our plans.
Scripture gently redirects us.
Psalm 106:7–8 KJV
“Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies… Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”
Stopping the cycle of chasing resolutions begins with remembering that God has already been at work long before we set goals.
2. Thanksgiving
God also tied the beginning of the year to gratitude.
Exodus 23:15 KJV
“And none shall appear before me empty.”
That verse stopped me in my tracks.
How many times have I approached a new year focused on what I lacked, what I wanted next, or what I thought I deserved?
He did not have to wake me up, provide food, or carry me through another year.
Yet He did.
Starting the year God’s way shifts our focus from what we want to what we have already received.
3. Walking in Preparation
The beginning of Abib marked a turning point. Israel was stepping into the unknown, trusting God to lead them toward the Promised Land.
That journey was not smooth.
It was not comfortable.
And it required daily dependence.
Our preparation looks different now, but the principle remains.
Ephesians 2:10 KJV
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
We do not need to invent a resolution plan because God has already prepared the path. And this journey is not meant to be walked alone.
4. Pressing Forward
Sometimes we carry the old self with us because it feels familiar. Comfortable. Even enjoyable.
But Scripture calls us forward.
Philippians 3:13–14 KJV
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark…”
Pressing forward is not about self-improvement.
It is about direction.
We stop dragging the old life into a new beginning.
5. Redemption
This is the heart of it all.
Abib became the first month because redemption had taken place. God brought His people out of bondage and gave them a new starting point.
That same truth applies now.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The new year is not about doing better; it is about living from what Christ has already done.
That is why we stop chasing resolutions.
That is why we put God first.
That is why remembering redemption changes everything.
Join the Conversation
The beginning of a new year invites us to pause and reflect, not just rush forward.
I would love to hear from you.
What has God already shown you about His faithfulness that you want to carry into this year?
Share in the comments below. Your reflection may encourage someone else who is standing at the same starting point.
If beginning the year with remembrance resonates with you, you may also want to read my earlier reflection on God’s faithfulness.
Hi, I’m Dana, the voice behind Exhortations for Today. I’m a grandmother called Nonna, a home cook, and an aspiring quilter. I believe in the power of God’s Word to recharge and renew the weary soul. Here, I share devotionals, Bible study tips, and reflections on living a faith-filled life. Want to learn more about my journey? Read more about me here.
