Hello again! Thanks for coming back! If you read the last blog you got to hear a little about me and learned that while I’m hosting here at The Sublime Soiree we will be talking about resolutions. As I shared, I find resolutions fun, but until recently I hadn’t thought too deeply about the “why” of resolutions. I started poking around the internet to see what other Christians think about resolutions and pretty quickly came across Resolutions by Jonathan Edwards. If you didn’t have time to skim through them, I encourage you to do so here! We will be using Resolutions as a stepping stone to think through how we can reframe our own to encourage our walk with Christ.
You don’t need to know much about Jonathan Edwards to learn from him, but it might help you to know that he lived a life of faith. He lived from 1703 to 1758. He was an incredibly bright pastor and preacher and had an influential role in the Great Awakening.
Just as Jonathan Edwards did, we are going to take a pause this week before diving in and think through the “why” of resolutions. Edwards began his resolution with a reminder for us to keep in mind as we ponder our own new rhythms of renewal. He stated,
“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.”
Edwards knew that no matter how hard he tried to keep his resolutions, he would fall short without the help of the Holy Spirit. Friends, I plan to continually remind us of this truth because it is so easy to fall into trusting in our own self-righteousness. When the Galatians fell into this temptation, Paul said,
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:1-9 ESV)
Paul reminded them of the truth that nothing we can do will save us or make us righteous. Only through Christ can we be forgiven for our sins and be made right with God. I know this in my head, but if I’m honest, it can be hard to trust it in my heart. When we give our lives to Christ, we are justified completely. The beautiful part is that He doesn’t justify us and forget about us. He gives us His Holy Spirit to do the work of making us righteous. Did you hear that? HE is doing the work! I hope that is a weight lifted off your shoulders in the same way it is for me. The work of making us righteous is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is through Him that we even have a desire to be more like Him. That is what I hope our “why” can be for our resolutions. Why are we setting resolutions? Because God has set a desire in our hearts to know Him more. Can we accomplish these resolutions on our own? Absolutely not.
As you start to think up resolutions that help you intentionally seek God’s face, I encourage you to pray. Pray for the desire and ask for His help. He is a good Father who loves to give good gifts to His children and knowing Him is the greatest gift! And do join me next week as we think through how we can motivate ourselves in unique ways to seek God and His Word.
— Chelsea Nelson (c) February 2026
