New Year’s Is an Opportunity to Recalibrate
Resolved, take this opportunity to correct course
My relationship with New Year’s Resolutions has been pretty negative over the years. It seemed both legalistic and arbitrary. January 1 is not much different than December 31, after all. And seeing everyone else boasting of their Resolutions? Well, I’ll save my Confessions of a Contrarian memoir for another time.
I admit that I failed to see New Year’s as an opportunity, optional as it may be. More recently I’ve come to see New Year’s as a more meaningful liturgy. It’s an opportunity to reflect, evaluate, and change course, even if only by a degree.
Degrees are important when it comes to arriving at the right destination. As it has been observed in the 1 in 60 rule, being off by one degree makes the difference between landing in Argentina or Antartica.1 And being human, when we’re continually off course, we’re also building a pattern (or, a “rut”) that’s easier to travel the next time around.
James K. A. Smith has helped me think better about habits as liturgies. He writes:
A more holistic response is to intentionally recalibrate the unconscious, to worship well, to immerse ourselves in liturgies that are indexed to the kingdom of God precisely so that even our unconscious desires and longings—the affective, under-the-hood ways we intend the world—are indexed to God and what God wants for his world.2
This year was challenging and, while I’ve weathered it by God’s grace, I haven’t always coped in healthy ways. Calvin was right, the heart is an idol factory.3 My screen time, for example, goes way up during times of feeling depressed or nihilistic. In response to those feelings, I’ve unintentionally practiced some liturgies, or spiritual habits, that work against—not for—God and what he wants. In the words of Smith, my “desires have been captivated by rival visions of flourishing.”4 This year, I want to recalibrate.
Resolutions
Below are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2025. I don’t share them to guilt you or boast. This is a confession, if anything. I don’t expect to keep them perfectly. And maybe there will be something here that resonates with you, dear reader.
In the style of Jonathan Edwards:5
Resolved, remain off X, Instagram, and Facebook and be deliberate concerning my time on social media platforms and scrolling.
Resolved, primarily read my physical Bible, not the Bible app on my phone in order to increase focus and limit distractions.
Resolved, increase my time and enjoyment in books and decrease TV and phone time.
Resolved, put down my phone when I’m around my wife and children.
Resolved, do more cardio.
Bible Reading Plan for 2025
In terms of Bible reading, my hope is to finish the Bible Reading plan that I started last year. Tabletalk has a great summary of Bible reading plans for 2025.
Many reading plans go through 3–4 books at a time. I can’t typically keep track of more than two. My favorite, by far, is the Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan.
It keeps it simple with two books at a time: an Old Testament reading and a New Testament reading. You have to complete a form to download it this year, but I think it’s worth it.
Happy New Year to you! I’d love to hear about your reflections, practices, or recalibration efforts going into 2025.
Or something like that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_in_60_rule
Ibid., 23.
Ibid., 22.
I'm rather mixed on resolutions as well. I like the idea of recalibrating. That's more of an everyday, every moment thing as opposed to drastic changes once a year. With that said, setting goals for the new year is always helpful. Knowing full well that I will have to recalibrate them on the regular.
Thank you for linking the Tabletalk Bible reading plans. I had not heard of theirs. I like charts for organization. :) Also, it's helpful that their 52-week plan has the reader in the same book each day. Seems to lend toward longer-form reading and thinking. I would also like to resolve to read more physical books. Can relate with reading the scriptures from a physical Bible. I have been getting headaches from too much scrolling/looking at screens. So, more of an analogue life truly does mean more flourishing, it seems. Not, as you say, in a spirit of legalism, but rather...concerted efforts of resolve toward glorifying God more. Always knowing that we won't be perfect. Yes, there is grace as we love God's law and do not love it perfectly. Time and time again, I am thankful for Jesus - His grace abounds amidst our efforts.