On New Year’s resolutions

I am a self-confessed foodie. I spend disproportionate amounts of time each day thinking about what I’m going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And that doesn’t even include the time I spend thinking about snacks! Sometimes I wish eating crisps was an acceptable hobby to add under the ‘other interests’ section on my CV. In 2026, I definitely want to cook more homemade meals from scratch in an effort to be healthier, but realistically, I know I’m probably not going to be organised enough to get to weekly meal-planning levels of cookery this year. It’s good to have resolutions – but to also be realistic. 

One of my recurring New Year’s resolutions every year is to spend more time reading the Bible. I want to dedicate more time this year to delving deeply into the Bible from devotional, theological and contextual perspectives. I don’t find it easy; it’s a discipline that requires focused time and concentration, which I need to fight for in the age of digital distraction. But I believe it’s a resolution worthy of repeated annual recommitment. Everything I say no to in life – in order to say yes to this – will involve no regrets by the end of the year. 

A picture of our spiritual lives

The psalmist reminds us that: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3). 

Psalm 1 is one of the most famous ancient texts. It is a summary psalm for the whole of scripture. This ancient wisdom is relevant to us today. The Bible reminds us that our problems, our existential questions and our searching are fundamentally tied to the spiritual – although these days there tends to be more of an emphasis on the empirical, technological, psychological, sociological, political and physiological. 

Psalm 1 describes the blessed and godly person as a tree. A tree experiences different seasons; it isn’t always blossoming and fruitful nor is it continually productive and lush. The tree’s roots do, however, have access to a constant stream of water even during seasons of drought, hot summers and cold winters. The tree’s source of life is not found in external circumstances; instead nourishment, peace and satisfaction come from a deep and hidden source. It’s found internally, in the unseen and in the life underneath the surface. The Bible reminds us that a Christian is not merely a religious person, a nice person, a person who does good things, but a person who is rooted, anchored and planted firmly in Jesus Christ. This person is a like a tree with a power, a perspective and an ability to persevere that isn’t ordinary but supernatural. The tree may experience pain and affliction but, though affected and impacted, its leaves do not wither. The streams of water come from meditating and reflecting on scripture. 

A life-changing discipline

Brené Brown once said that there is a universal craving for deep reading, deep thinking and deep connection, all of which require deep time in a world of shallow distraction. I know that it’s the things I give my time to that tell me what I really care about. At the start of the year, it’s good to think about new habits that will cultivate more depth in our lives, to tend to what is beneath the surface. 

Reading the Bible is the primary way in which I hear from God. It’s through reading his word that I’ve experienced revelation, conviction, transformation and direction. The most important thing in my life each and every year is my relationship with God. Remembering that we search the scriptures to discover more of Jesus – and can trust that the Holy Spirit will guide and illuminate our reading, thinking and wrestling – takes the pressure off us. 

I’ve tried to create space in my life for God by reading the Bible in the same place at roughly the same time at the start of every day in silence. It’s not always easy, and I don’t always get it right, but it has been a life-changing discipline. I sometimes simply pray as I read that God would speak to me afresh for the day. There are many helpful tools and resources out there; find one that works for you. Sometimes it’s good to mix things up and experiment with a new way to read God’s word; it’s a bit like trying a new recipe, which can draw out different flavours, textures and aromas. 

Like I said earlier, I think a lot about what I eat, so perhaps I need to take the same approach to reading God’s word. After all, Jesus himself did say: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).