Happy New Year!
Okay, 2021’s been here a while. It’s not even the first quarter of 2021 anymore. Technically, it might be May. However, the shift from 2020 into 2021 was largely anticipated by many. Because 2020 was so difficult for a lot of people, they hoped that the world would get better in the new year.
- Was 2020 a difficult year for you? Were you hoping that 2021 would bring positive change? If so, do you think 2021 is going better than 2020? (Accept all reasonable answers.)
But the new year is a state of mind. It’s like how people try to have the Christmas spirit all year. Maybe you can have New Year’s spirit, too—always thinking about fresh starts and new beginnings!
With that in mind, we’re talking about the promises we make to ourselves on January 1 . . . and that we usually forget by January 5. Keeping a resolution can be hard, because changing your life is hard!
- Did any of you make a New Year’s resolution? What was it? (Answers may vary.)
- On a scale of 0 to 5, how likely are you to keep these types of resolutions? (Many of your students will probably admit that they aren’t likely to keep resolutions.)
- Why are resolutions so hard to keep? (It’s very difficult to shake off old habits and make lasting changes in your life. Many resolutions also focus on a big end goal instead of small measurable and attainable steps.)
On your own, changing your life is hard, whether you try it on January 1 or May 9. In fact, sometimes it can feel impossible to make a lasting difference in your life. If you’ve ever tried and failed to keep a New Year’s resolution, you know what that’s like.
Nonetheless, God Himself wants to help you change. God wouldn’t demand that we do the impossible, so it must be possible to change your life . . . somehow. Let’s look at the prophet Ezekiel’s wisdom about life change.