Context
A little over a year ago, I read a biography of Jonathan Edwards — a preacher of the First Great Awakening — written by Dr. Steven J. Lawson. The title is The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards, and I would certainly recommend reading it. While Dr. Lawson tends to whitewash the figures about whom he writes, as long as the reader is aware of this bias, he presents a compelling and encouraging view of the life of Jonathan Edwards.
This book includes the Resolutions Jonathan Edwards made very early in his adult life regarding righteous living. These Resolutions were a list of standards that Edward wrote to hold himself to for the entirety of his life. They were aimed at making the best use of the short life God has given each person, and being as effective during that lifetime as possible. Edwards’ Resolution displayed — among other things — a commitment to the glory of God, a hunger for the joys of Heaven, and a fierce desire to be disciplined in the pursuit of righteousness.
Some of my favorite of his Resolutions include (quoted from Lawson’s aforementioned book):
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
14. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Edwards’ fight to spend his time as effectively as possible began my own consideration on what characteristics I would like to define my own life. Considering that I want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant,” despite the shortness of my life, I began seriously considering resolutions for myself.
I ended up writing my own resolutions, and I thought I would post them here, in case it might help any of my readers in their own pursuits of a God-glorifying and well-spent life. So here they are:
Resolutions
Given that I have a limited amount of time and opportunity to live before the Lord, I want to use my time well. I want to hear “well done, good and faithful servant.” My life is to be lived for God’s glory, so these Resolutions are to help guide me in the pursuit thereof. I want to live for God, and should one or more of my Resolutions not be His will, then may He show me that, and I will strike it. May He give me strength to follow those that please Him, for I most certainly lack the strength or ability to please God without His help. I will read these Resolutions once a week for the rest of my life so that I can strive to live them out and repent when I fall short. May God grant me the wisdom and strength to live for Him, and a heart that takes advantage of those boons.
1.) Resolved to live every moment for God’s glory. That at all times, I would pursue whatever course or task I believe would most please and honor Him. That I would repent when I fail to do so. August 25, 2020
2.) Resolved to live in thanksgiving to God. That each day, I would recognise the kindnesses of God in that day, and actively thank Him for them. August 25, 2020
3.) Resolved to repent of sin wherever and whenever I become aware of it in my life. Sin must always be cause to run to God, so I will repent of sin and consider the source of that sin in order to avoid it in the future. August 25, 2020
4.) Resolved that sin would not keep me from good works. Even when there is sin in my life, I will repent and not allow it to dissuade me from doing the good things God has for me. August 25, 2020
5.) Resolved to live a life of self-evaluation. When I weekly read these Resolutions, I will consider how I have fallen short, repent of those things, and ask God to strengthen me for the next week. August 25, 2020
6.) Resolved to be free of gossip. To never speak ill of another or participate in the degradation of another, but to have such love for all others that the flaunting of their failings stings like the flaunting of my own. August 25, 2020
7.) Resolved to honor God with the stewardship of my body. I will not be a glutton, but I will eat and drink to fulfill my body’s needs and then stop. Moreover, I will engage in the physical activities necessary to keep healthy that my body and mind might be of better service to God. August 25, 2020
8.) Resolved to make the chief goal of my relationships — whether romantic, friendly, or evangelistic — the honor of God; either to build up fellow believers or to be a light to non-believers. August 25, 2020
9.) Resolved to guard my tongue from crass or profane speech and to use my tongue to edify those around me. To have my words be becoming of Christ before Christians and non-Christians alike, and that my words would be such that the Lord would smile at their utterance. August 25, 2020
10.) Resolved to love others, even in the midst of conflict with them. That when I am at odds against another, I would pray for their well-being and my own failings or misconceptions in the conflict. August 25, 2020
11.) Resolved to love my brothers and sisters in Christ. That I would not solely pray for my own needs, but that not a day would pass by where another Christian’s name fail to be on my lips before our Heavenly Father. August 25, 2020
12.) Resolved to love those who need salvation. That not a day would pass by where a non-Christian’s name not appear on my lips for their salvation before our Creator and Judge. August 25, 2020
13.) Resolved not to live by my own strength, but by God’s. To never consider a task small enough to handle on my own and to never avoid a task to which God calls me thinking it beyond my abilities, but to submit all things to the Lord in prayer and rely on His strength for their completion. May the Lord guide my path. August 25, 2020
14.) Resolved to fulfill even the most passing commitment, even to my hurt, unless circumstance genuinely prevents it. August 25, 2020
15.) Resolved to only speak truth, and that I would never ascribe actions to another or myself which I know that person did not commit, even in jest. August 25, 2020
16.) Resolved to act out of benevolence to others whenever my aide is requested, even to my own hurt, unless such an action would shirk some other, more pressing responsibility God has given me. August 25, 2020
17.) Resolved that if there is ongoing sin in my life, I will not stop fighting it with all my prayer and strength, no matter how unsuccessful I may be. August 27, 2020
18.) Resolved to have God’s word be my source of truth. That when I read theologies, commentaries, etc., that they would be to aide my meditation, but that they would be in subjection to the measure of God’s word, like everything else. I am not a MacArthurian, nor an Augustinian, but a Christian. No person’s fallen musings may replace the creeds or commands of my King. October 19, 2020
19.) Resolved to look for opportunities to be kind to and to serve others. That I would not wait to be asked, but that I would actively serve others where doing so would not shirk some other, more pressing responsibility God has given me. January 18, 2021
20.) Resolved to be consumed by desperation and zeal for the spread of the Gospel. That I would have such love for sinners made in God’s image that I would desire their salvation above all human enterprise. That at all times, I would either be involved in or seeking out opportunities to share the Gospel either in prayer, conversation, or organized effort. That all my personal, pastoral, and professional aims would be toward the end of speeding the spread of the Gospel, either by doing so myself or by equipping others to do so. May 16, 2021
Conclusion
Time has a nasty habit of slipping by. If we do not labor to use our time well, we will inevitably use it far more poorly than we otherwise could have. Making a set of Resolutions has been very helpful to me over the last year. This list has changed my actions and heart in a variety of situations by providing a set of commitments that are always on my mind.
I have become more charitable, more gracious, more repentant, and more Gospel-minded as a result of my reading and consideration of these commitments. The greatest advantage of these Resolutions has been having a set of goals that seem so attainable, but of which I fall so far short. I consistently rehearse to myself the attitude and perspective I want to have toward God and others, and I consistently have to face my own weakness in my failure.
As a tool for growth in your relationship with God, I would greatly recommend making Resolutions and reading them regularly. However, be prepared to change them. I have clearly added more over the course of the last year or so, but I have also edited some of them. Although I have not had to remove any resolution, I have grown in my understanding of, commitment to, and desire for God. It would be good to plan for growth in your own life as well.
Resolutions are not the Bible, and they are no replacement for the regular reading and study of Scripture to guide one’s life. With that warning, pursue God. Pursue Him by His word. Pursue Him by prayer and church-involvement. Pursue Him by whatever means will help you to better serve Him with the time He has given you.
Life is short, so resolve to use it well.
References
Lawson, S. J. (2008). The unwavering resolve of Jonathan Edwards. Reformation Trust Publishing.