17 for ’17: New Year’s Resolutions for Christian Single Adults

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Which resolutions resonate most with you?

1) When I’m at the crossroads of making a decision, I’ll commit to the path that will glorify God the most even if it does not bring me the most immediate personal satisfaction.  (Revelation 4:11)

2) My relationship status will not define me in 2017.  My relationship with God will be the foundation of my identity.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3) God’s word will be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, informing and illuminating every step that I take.  (Psalm 119:105)

4) I will not hold my past sins against me since God doesn’t.  (Psalm 103:12)

5) I will depend more on God’s strength than believing I can do it all on my own.  (Philippians 4:23)

6) When I am blessed, I will in turn use that blessing to be a blessing to others.
(Genesis 12:2)

7) Any new dating relationship will be measured against one simple criteria: Will it bring me closer to God or move me further away?  (James 4:8)

8) I will thirst for God in ways that I have never thirsted for Him before.  (Psalm 63:1)

9) I will graciously serve others with a desire to point them to God’s compassion and mercy.  (Matthew 5:16)

10) I will surround myself with wise voices that will pour God’s Truth and loving correction into my life.  (Proverb 15:22)

11) I will not let my singleness inhibit my involvement with and contribution to the Body of Christ.  (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)

12) I will carefully reevaluate anything in my life that  begins to take a greater priority than God does.  (Exodus 20:3)

13) During the difficult times when I am immersed in the valleys, I will hold on to God’s promise that He can work all things together for my good.  (Romans 8:28)

14) I will freely offer forgiveness not just to absolve others of their guilt but also to extend freedom to myself.  I refuse to let others’ past offenses against me define me and hold me back.  (Ephesians 4:32)

15) I will relinquish to God any anger that I am holding in my heart before I rest my head on my pillow every night.  (Ephesians 4:26)

16) I will not covet what others have, including their marriages.  (Exodus 20:17)

17) God has spiritually gifted me as a believer, and I intend to find purpose in a special and unique way as I serve in the sweet spot of that giftedness.  (1 Corinthians 12)

Resolutions are only as good as their follow through.  May God bless you with an incredible 2017 as you live out your singleness fully devoted to Him.

Dr. Greg Belcher, Lead Pastor of Fellowship Church of Burbank (California), former Pastor of Single Adults @ Hope Community Church (Raleigh, NC)

15 Resolutions for Christian Singles in 2015

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1. To love people more.  To love God most.  (Matthew 22:37-39)

2. To use the comfort that God has given me through my past hurts to be a comfort to those who are now hurting.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

3. To be slower to give my own advice and quicker to listen to the advice of others.  (Proverbs 12:15; James 1:19)

4. To make every effort to strengthen myself spiritually even more than I do to strengthen myself physically.  (1 Timothy 4:8)

5. To use my words to build others up, not to tear them down.  (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

6. To remember that my times of weakness can actually be times for God’s strength to shine through.  (2 Corinthians 12:10)

7. To be more diligent with my thought life, keeping my mind focused on those things that are true and noble and pure and lovely.  (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 4:8)

8. To recognize daily that I am in a spiritual battle.  (Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8)

9. To be more thankful for the little blessings in addition to all the big ones.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

10. To be more authentic in my faith by going out of my way to be there for those who don’t have others in their lives who really care about them.  (James 1:27)

11. To make the hard decisions to eliminate those things in my life that cause me to conform to the pattern of this world rather than be transformed into Christlikeness.  (Romans 12:2)

12. To recognize that God is there with me during the difficult times instead of thinking that He’s forgotten about me.  (Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5b)

13. To be patient and realize that God is working things out in my life for my good that I can’t quite see at the time.  (Romans 8:28)

14. To surround myself with others who sharpen my faith walk instead of those who tend to take me down wayward paths.  (Proverbs 27:17; 1 Corinthians 15:33)

15. To never lose hope even when all seems hopeless.  (Isaiah 40:31)

Which resolution resonates the most with you?

14 for 2014: Resolutions for Single Adults in the Year Ahead

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14 for 2014.  Resolutions for single adults culled from 3+ years serving as Pastor of Single Adults at one of America’s largest churches.  Which resolutions resonate the most with you?  What would you add to the list?

  1. Instead of being consumed with trying to find someone to “complete” me, I will passionately pursue getting to know the One who created me.
  2. Life is too short to just let it pass me by.  I will laugh more in 2014 than ever before and put the “little things” that used to hold me back from pursuing my dreams into their proper perspective.
  3. When I think about the traits that I desire in a future mate, I am determined to be that type of person myself.  I want to embody the characteristics that I’m looking for in a spouse.
  4. I will back away from any dating relationship that crosses physical boundaries that are not honoring to God.
  5. I will be known as more of an encourager than a complainer.
  6. Focusing on my health and living well will be a top priority.  Eating right, getting consistent exercise, and establishing good sleep patterns will be everyday goals.
  7. I will take it to heart that God loves me unconditionally and that He can use even mistakes in my past to mold me into the person He wants me to be.
  8. I will take God at His Word to not be “unequally yoked” when it comes to relationships.
  9. I will not take friendships for granted but will go out of my way to be there for those who are always there for me.
  10. When others remind me that I am “still single,” I will respond with a smile and think to myself that this is a significant season of my life that God has set aside to serve Him in an especially faithful way.
  11. I will be grateful for what I do have in my life instead of focusing on what I don’t have.
  12. I will devote myself to understanding God’s Word like never before, even if it means cutting out other things in my life to have the necessary time that I know it’s going to take.
  13. I will be careful about what I expose myself to in 2014 when it comes to the Internet and other media.
  14. I will not hold on to hurt and bitterness from past relationships but will seek healing from God that allows me to live thankfully with a forgiving spirit.

May God richly bless you in 2014!

 

Dr. Greg Belcher – a single adult who has pastored churches in North Carolina and Georgia, most recently serving as the Pastor of Single Adults (and Young Professionals) at the rapidly growing Hope Community Church (7000+ weekly attendance) located in Raleigh, NC.