Where is Your Hope?

As believers in Christ, we can boldly proclaim where our hope lies - true hope is found in a person; His name is Jesus. Romans chapter 5 states:
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We have an incredible opportunity as believers in Christ - in the teachings of Scripture, we can find hope and direction for our lives.  People seek worldly ways in order to make them feel better about themselves, to address their perceived needs deep within their hearts.  But, worldly hope cannot provide the satisfaction that hope in Christ can bring. We can make sure that we are taking the steps in our own lives that lead to spiritual growth and make sure that our hope is in the Lord.

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We can't put our hope in the things of this world; true satisfaction for our souls comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. So, we look beyond what we can perceive with our physical senses and seek the eternal. 2nd Corinthians 4 address it:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For the Christians, I believe that concrete goals informed by the Word of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit far outweigh the seemingly casual notion of "new year's resolutions."  So, needless to say, I'm not really a fan. We should always be pursuing spiritual growth, but that's not necessarily done by observing a date on the calendar.  

But, it is interesting to look at what people's stated priorities are. The Christian Post has reported on a CBS News/YouGov poll which found:

Only 37% of Americans typically make New Year’s Resolutions, but among these, 59% express a desire to “pray or attend religious services more,” says the poll, conducted between Dec. 4-7, 2023, involving 2,182 adults.

That desire to participate in religious activities is tied for seventh among the topics - tied with losing weight. 

The survey summary states: “Those who already attend religious services at least weekly are overwhelmingly likely to say their resolution is to pray and attend services more..."

Of course, the highest polling items have to do with health, exercise, and diet.  Personal relationships score highly, as well.  

The survey also attempted to measure the level of optimism for the coming year.  The Christian Post story relates, "Around 47% of Americans feel hopeful about 2024, contrasting with 22% who feel discouraged and 31% experiencing mixed feelings, the poll results say."  And, those in younger generations reflect that sense of hope for the future. The article notes:

Young Americans under 30 are the most hopeful, with 64% looking forward to 2024 with optimism. This sentiment gradually decreases with age, dropping to 51% among those aged 30-44, 37% among those 45-64, and 39% in the 65 and older bracket. Similarly, 60% of young adults under 30 make resolutions, compared to just 15% of those 65 and older.

But, on what basis is the younger generation basing this hope?  On their ability to keep New Year's resolutions?  Consider this from Forbes Health concerning society-wide trends:

In fact, failing at New Year’s resolutions is so common that there’s even a slew of (unofficial) dates commemorating such failures—some sources cite “Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day” as January 17 while others denote the second Friday in January as “Quitter’s Day.”

The Forbes Health/One Poll survey found that the average resolution lasts just 3.74 months. Only 8% of respondents tend to stick with their goals for one month, while 22% last two months, 22% last three months and 13% last four months.

The survey showed a whopping 6% were still sticking with their resolutions from the previous year.

So, again, culture-wide, on what do people based their hope?  Certainly, temporal elements would be factors, I would think.  But, God calls us to focus on what is eternal. Our hope is in a Savior who gave His life for us and lives in the hearts of His people.  Our hope is in a Heavenly Father who created the universe and holds all things in His hands.  Trust in the world is likely to let us down, but trust in spiritual things, based on the Bible, can result in real change for the future. 

Sure, these resolutions are nice and can give an indication of what people might want to accomplish, but they don't keep them, by and large.  If we want to see real growth in our lives, Jesus taught that we are to abide in Him - the branches staying connected to the vine - and He will produce lasting fruit in our lives.  We should have a stable walk, not jarred by temporary spikes or bumps in our spiritual life, but to allow God to express Himself through us and for us to grow closer to Him and to reflect His heart.