The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

I do not make New Year’s resolutions. They are noble-sounding little lies we tell ourselves and others, seldom developed to produce their desired conclusion. The minute I proclaim “this year I will…”, I have publicly doomed the resolution to a fate of sad, embarrassing failure.

I’m not sure why this is. I always start with the best of intentions. Sadly, intentions do not produce results. Here are some examples of New Year’s resolutions i (may or may not) have made over the years:

• Revive the eight-track tape as a popular, portable format for enjoying your favorite music at home or on the go. At least two generations of kids have missed out on the experience of listening to “Rocket Man” by Elton John, having it fade out, change tracks (with that familiar “brrrrr – CLICK CLICK – brrrrr” sound) and fade back in just as Elton declares “And I think it’s gonna be a long long time…”
• Found a new, centrist political party: the Pizza’s No Place for Pineapple Party. By the name, it’s obvious this group stands to promote a society where things just make sense. Yeah, good luck with that one.
• Learn to play the didgeridoo.
• Learn to like raw tomatoes.
• Master the art of toe nail sculpting.
• Go back to school and earn a Ph.D. in Finnish Frog Dancing.
• Become the guy who steers the back end of the big fire truck.
• Start a campaign to make Minnesota both an American state and a Canadian province. (We’re practically there! We just need the right legislation passed to make it official.)
• Invent a pharmaceutical medicine that does not cause side effects such as nausea, sleeplessness, tiredness, weakness in the armpits, sudden screaming outbursts, irritability, subcutaneous vegetation, swelling of the nostrils, HOAs, thoughts of binge watching a Friends marathon, ear cramps, hair loss, bear loss, Cher loss, hallucinations involving consumption of large deli sandwiches (aka “Dagwood’s Syndrome”), the bee’s knees, headaches of the lungs, cold sweats, profuse sweats, meat sweats, or dry mouth.
• Stop droning on and on and on with silliness in my writing and speaking.

However, goal setting is – to my mind – a different matter altogether. It’s more intentional, well considered and – if done properly – well planned. Proper goals are much more than just deciding to lose 100 lbs., marry the man/woman of your dreams and discover the lost continent of Atlantis by year’s end. Real goal setting involves honest assessments, attainable milestones and an action plan to get there.

Consider these words of Jesus: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” – Luke 14:28-30 (ESV). Trust me when I say I have made vain declarations of things I was going to do, without bothering to make an honest assessment of these “resolutions”.

I still haven’t found Atlantis.

I want to make a lot of personal changes. I’m developing certain spiritual, ministry, health, relational and financial goals for the year ahead. All of these are being prayed about and clung to fairly loosely for this simple reason: God is sovereign. I am not.

God may have other plans as I walk my path in life. And, honestly, the best goals I can set are ones that pertain to walking closer with God, handing control of every aspect of my life to Him, and loving Jesus more and more, with ever strengthening faith and deeper gratitude and faithfulness. Right attitudes. Right habits. Right Christ-like thoughts.

It’s wise to make plans. It’s good to set goals. But, we must remember above all our plans and schemes and dreams:

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)