On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent Podcast, I explore the spiritual discipline of making plans and resolutions for the new year. I look at how making noble plans is not just acceptable for Christians, but is actually an aspect of godliness.
We’ll consider how planning can be an act of imitating God, while also learning to hold our plans with an open hand. We’ll explore seeking godly counsel, setting meaningful goals, and understanding how to approach personal growth in wisdom, physical health, spiritual life, and social relationships.
Whether you’re skeptical about New Year’s resolutions or eager to make positive changes, this episode provides biblical perspective on how we can thoughtfully approach planning while staying anchored in God’s guidance.
Resources from this week’s podcast:
31 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year, by Donald Whitney
Topics covered in this week’s podcast:
02:16 Principles for planning for the new year: Isaiah 32:8
10:49 We should be making plans
14:55 Holding plans with an open hand
16:55 Practical suggestions
Podcast transcript:
I’m Chap Bettis and you’re listening to The Disciple-Making Parent, where we seek to equip parents and churches to pass the gospel to their children. January is the month of new beginnings. It’s a time when people often look back to evaluate and look forward to make plans and resolutions. Have you made any resolutions yet? Or are you just recovering from Christmas?
Hi, my name is Chap Bettis, and I’m the author of The Disciple-Making Parent. And in this episode of the podcast, we’re going to think about making plans and resolutions for the new year. And one of those resolutions of mine is to get back to podcasting. So if you’ll notice, there’s been quite a gap and I apologize for that. I’m looking forward to starting up again.
Well, I recently shared the following thoughts in a sermon on Sunday night at my home church, but since I was tired, I felt like I stumbled through the material. And I thought it would serve you better to re-record the message. So that’s what you’re going to hear today.
But before we start, I want to remind you to check out our newest book, which is called Launch: Biblical Help for Moving Your Teen or Young Adult into the Real World. And it’s a quick read book. You can cover it in under an hour. I found a lot of resources helping teens in the later years and college years, but I didn’t find anything for the parents. And I just remember how confused I felt during that time. So that’s one of the reasons I wrote the book Launch. So in it I lay out foundations that can guide our thinking in the teen years, and then apply those to three different scenarios later on in the 18-, 19-, 20-year-old range: Leaving for college, staying at home after graduation, and staying at home maybe when they shouldn’t. So check out Launch: Biblical Help for Moving Your Teen or Young Adult into the Real World. It’s available in our bookstore at thedisciplemakingparent.com or on Amazon. But for now, let’s think about plans and resolutions for the new year.
We’re in the month of January. And it’s a time many people are thinking about what sort of resolutions can I make for the new year? Now, maybe you’re a cynic who doesn’t make any resolutions. Maybe you’re an idealist who makes too many. Maybe this resonates with you: January 1st: I’m going to read the Bible every day. January 2nd and 3rd: Oh man, I need to catch up today. January 4th: You know, I’m not going to be legalistic about this stuff. Sometimes we can ask, should we even make resolutions or plans? Some Christians have argued that this is self-reliance and not Christian. And if we do make plans, how do we go about it?
Well, in this podcast, we’re going to look at some principles that I believe should guide our thinking. Properly understood, self-evaluation and setting goals is not only okay for Christians, but is actually expected. It’s an aspect of godliness. What we’re talking about falls underneath sanctification. For example, we have the 19-year old Jonathan Edwards, who knew his weaknesses and was aware of the destructive nature of sin. So he resolved to make and keep certain resolutions in his effort to live for God’s glory. He wrote this: “Being sensible that I’m 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.”
Without these convictions or plans or moving forward, we have what J. C. Ryle called jellyfish Christianity. It produces a Christianity without bone, flesh, and blood. or muscle or power, that just floats along.
The verse that forms the foundation of this episode is Isaiah 32:8. And the context is that the prophet Isaiah is speaking of a time of a new King and a new society that’s coming. And in the midst of this encouragement is this gem of a verse that’s aimed at God’s covenant people. The ESV says it this way: But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.“ I actually like the NIV 84, which I used for many, many years, I like the translation better. It’s more clear in my mind: “The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.”
So let’s think about that verse a little bit at a time. So just that first part: the noble person makes noble plans. You know, we don’t use that word noble very much in our day. I can’t remember the last time I used it. A definition of the English word includes having or showing fine personal qualities, high moral principles and ideals. The word in the original language has that idea of honorable character, of one who leads, but it also has this idea especially of generosity in spirit and a willingness to act.
The King James Version translates it liberal: the liberal person. You know, I don’t think of myself as a noble person. Maybe you don’t either. I’m not nobility, but if you’re a Christian. you’re a child of the King. He’s brought you into the royal family and we represent him. So absolutely, yes, we can think of ourselves and you can think of yourself this way. I am a noble man or a noble woman, not because of anything I’ve done, but because of what Christ has done. And I am to walk worthy of this calling.
And what is worthy of this calling? Well, one of those aspects is that a godly or noble person makes plans. It’s noble to make plans. It’s godly to make godly plans. In fact, the noble plans of this person stand in contrast with the evil schemes and the methods of the scoundrels in the previous verse. You see, when we make plans, we’re actually imitating God. To read the scripture is to read the unfolding of God’s plan. We can see this comes up in numerous verses, like Jeremiah 29:11. “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” God said that to his covenant people. I have plans for you.
Paul writing in Ephesians says, talking about us, that we’ve been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. There’s the plan, and there’s the working it out. We know, of course, that God’s plan of salvation culminates in the cross. And we know from the book of Revelation how that restoration is going to end. You see, Jesus is the ultimate noble man, making noble plans for salvation and standing by the noble deeds of the cross in his valiant return one day.
So knowing that God has a plan and is working it out gives great comfort to the Christian and it should give great motivation to the non-Christian to come to him. You know how things are going to end and make your choices accordingly. So when we make plans, we’re actually imitating God.
And you can see even Jesus’ earthly ministry had purposes and plans. For example, he said in Mark 1:38, that’s a great passage where Jesus is having some popularity, he’s going viral in a sense, and he goes out to pray, and then Peter comes down and says, Hey, everybody’s looking for you, you’re going viral, let’s come back. And Jesus in Mark 1:38 says, Let’s go on to neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. That is why I have come. So Jesus had a plan. And even Mark 10:45:”The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
But it’s not just God that plans. We who are made in His image, who are to rule and reign over His world, we’re to make plans as well. We’re made in His image. Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” So their plans and diligence are put together, whereas haste is contrasted. Proverbs 14:22 “Those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”
David was commended by God for desiring to build a temple and drawing up all the plans. Paul, you can see in a study of Paul’s life that he was a man who had an apostolic strategy and then the deeds to carry that out, and that the wisdom of that strategy grew with each missionary journey. Not only that, but he had his ambition to go to Rome and then beyond to Spain to preach the gospel. He says in Romans 15:23-24, “But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you”- Rome- “whenever I travel to Spain.”
My father-in-law always used to talk about his five-year plan and then he would ask me, “What’s your five year plan? What’s the plan?” You know, God has made us to be self-reflective and, like Him, to make plans. In the beginning of the new year, that’s a great time to stop and ask, Lord, what plans should I have for this new year? What plans should I have for this new year? I want to suggest two areas to think about. One is inward and one is outward.
As a Christian, we’re really on two journeys. One is a journey of holiness inwardly, and a journey outwardly of building the Kingdom. Someone stated it this way: That our ambition is to know Him and to make Him known. I want to know Him and I want to make Him known.
If you’re not a person given to making plans, let me ask, just ask you this question: Do you believe the Lord is done forming you into his image? Or do you think he perhaps wants to continue maturing you this year, both by working in you and through you? So part of this self-reflection means asking, Lord, what in my life is not pleasing to you? Where do I need to adjust my life? Where an aspect of– the word I’ve adopted- the micro repentance? Where do I need to repent and how do you want me to grow? And then secondly, What is on your heart for me to accomplish this year? I think if you’re not asking some of those questions, then effectively you’re saying, Yeah, I’m pretty good with the Lord. I’m just pretty good. I just like to go with the flow. So we start with this idea that a noble man, a noble person makes noble plans.
Let me just add two other truths to this to round this out from other parts of scriptures. The second truth to think about under this is that the noble person makes noble plans by seeking counsel, and we seek counsel from God himself.
Scripture records that many times David inquired of the Lord when it came to decisions. Psalm 32:8, the psalmist writes of God, God is saying this, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” God’s heart, God’s desire is to instruct us, teach us, counsel us. The Father has given us the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures that are to be our counselors. Jesus himself is called, in Isaiah, the Wonderful Counselor. The Holy Spirit is also called the Helper or Counselor. How often do we just launch out without consulting the Lord in the Word, in prayer, in our spirit? How often do we approach the scripture with a question, Lord, what have you said about this in your Word? Would you teach me? What is wrong in my thinking? Would you guide me? So we need to seek counsel, not only from God himself, but also from counselors around us, wise people.
Proverbs 20:18 says, “Make plans by seeking advice. If you wage war, obtain guidance.” So, as you make plans, seek advice. Proverbs 15:22 turns it around and says this: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors, they succeed.” Who are the wise people that God has put in your life to seek wisdom from? There are wise people, Christians who have lived longer and know the Word more.
You see, wisdom is skillful living. Wisdom is not knowledge. We are surrounded by knowledge and information, but we confuse information for wisdom. The internet is flooding us with information, but it’s not wisdom. There are wise people around to consult. So a noble person makes noble plans by seeking counsel.
And then a third principle, really, I just want to bring together with this is out of Romans 15:28, that the noble person holds his plans with an open hand. We submit those to the Lord. So we saw that Paul wanted to go to Rome and then Spain. Did Paul go to Rome? Absolutely. He did go to Rome, but not the way he wanted and not on his timetable. He went to Rome as a prisoner after waiting two years in a prison. You see, God doesn’t give us a map. He is the map. He desires our fellowship. And even as we make plans, we submit those to him. We say, nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done. And we can look look backwards and see what his purposes are at times that he says yes and no.
John Flavel once said, “The providence of God is like Hebrew words. It can only be read backwards. “ You know, Hebrew is not read left to right, but it’s read right to left. So in other words, God’s providence can only be understood after you’re past it and you look back on it. And that’s just a good encouragement, to look to this past year to see God’s hand of blessing.
So here we have two truths: that we’re to make plans, but we’re to hold them with an open hand, knowing that God is ultimately in control and He’s working all things for good. Proverbs also says, “Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” In our own church, we’re experiencing that right now where for some reason he’s having us wait to sell one of the buildings that we need to get into the new building. So his timetable is not our timetable. We’re to make plans, and then we’re to hold them with an open hand.
Well, how do we go about making some plans for the new year? Let me just give you five different suggestions. So this is making things a little more practical, but one is just take some quiet time to pray and reflect. It’s good to get alone and take stock of our lives from God’s point of view. And let me just put a sidebar here. Although the application I’m making is primarily about an individual life, this is also true for couples, for families if you’re leading your kids, for church leaders. Noble elders make noble plans and by noble deeds, they stand. Noble parents make noble plans and by noble deeds, they stand. Noble husbands and wives make noble plans and by noble deeds they stand. So look backwards, look at the blessing of God in 2024, trace what he is doing. Jesus said, “My father is always at work.” How was he at work in 2024, this past year? And then look forward.
So ask those questions I mentioned before: Lord, what is not pleasing in my life? How do you want me to grow and change? The Puritans would often spend time in reflection at the New Year or birthdays, and those are just two questions. Questions can prompt self-reflection.
Donald Whitney, who’s written a book on spiritual disciplines, has 31 questions that he suggests to ask at a new year or birthday. So I would encourage you to review them. I plan to take those and pray over those. They can be overwhelming if you’re just sitting down and you’re trying to answer each one, but, but let the ones the Lord has for you address you and maybe take some time.
In the Old Testament, Israel set up standing stones to remind them. Looking back on the previous year is also a good time to do that. I have a list of times that I’ve written down where I’ve seen God’s supernatural hand. So these aren’t just small answers to prayer. These are big times where it could not have been anything other than God. And I want that list to encourage me during times of waiting. So just take some time to reflect and pray.
Secondly, I would encourage you to ask the Lord to show you areas to repent of and goals that he wants to make. So Paul said in Philippians 1:25, to the Philippians, he was there for their progress and joy in the faith. The Lord wants you to make progress in Christlikeness. And often there are two areas that we can focus on. One is internal habits to change, so things positively to put on, whether it’s Bible reading or prayer times that type of thing. Or it might also include things to repent of, like a bad habit, such as complaining. You want to grow and become a more thankful person. So, what are those internal habits?
And then also, what are those external goals? So think about what are you hoping or what do you believe the Lord might want to do through you? Whole books have been written on goal-setting. I’m not going to cover that in one short episode, but let me let me give you one small tip: we encouraged our children to think about setting goals in the four areas where the scripture tells us Jesus grew in. So Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with man.
And so wisdom is mental goals. Stature is physical goals. Favor with God is spiritual goals. And favor with man is our social goals? So mental, physical, spiritual, and social. Wisdom, stature, favor with God and favor with man. And for the adult, those are four good categories. I might also add work or finances as well. But begin praying about, Lord, how do you want me to grow specifically in these areas?
And this is where the noble deeds comes in because someone has said a plan without action is not a plan, but it’s just speech. So how will you take action? Others can help you. Ask someone, I want to change this way. What resources, what suggestions do you have for me? Noble plans have to lead to noble deeds.
Third, then perhaps as you do this, you also need to ask the Lord to show you what to stop doing. We only have a limited amount of time in a day, a month, a year. I find it interesting that Jesus, after praying, he left an area where the crowd was asking for him so that he could go to other cities. I remember in my own experience, I taught a class to high schoolers in a co-op for many years and I just loved doing it and I still wanted to do it, but then the Lord and my own heart and some circumstances just made it obvious that it was time to pass this on to someone else. My time had run its course. And it’s okay. It’s okay for someone else to take this over or maybe to shut it down. So that’s the third thought.
And then fourth, set up some sort of accountability. So I’d encourage you to write your goals down. If you feel like they’re from the Lord, then put them on your prayer sheet. And since it’s on your prayer sheet, it should be a matter of prayer. You’re saying, Lord, I think this is from you. I need your help. I can’t do this on my own. I need your help. And often what I’ll do also around my birthday is I’ll put a copy of my goals in my wallet, just on a small sheet of paper and say, Lord, if you give me one more year, what am I believing that you want to do through me this next year? And then obviously share them with someone else or put them up on your wall so that you can see them. So set up some outside accountability.
And fifth: Be ready to adjust as you go. God calls you to make plans, but then he calls you to hold them with an open hand. He guides you when things don’t go the way that they should. And sometimes those are the greatest character lessons and the greatest spiritual fellowship with him. I can’t tell you how many times as a senior pastor, my plans messed up and I had to go back seeking the Lord. Or times as a parent where I had to go back and I’m saying, This is our plan. These are some plans going in, and then something comes up and I’m saying, Okay, Lord, give us wisdom. What’s the new plan? And so God delights to answer those prayers. Be ready to adjust as you go along. You know, Paul said he was with the Philippians for their progress and joy in the faith. God has plans for your progress in the faith. This coming year, my father is always at work, Jesus said, but we’re not to be passive as those made in his image. You and I are to make plans for that growth. A noble person makes noble plans and by noble deeds, he stands.
You’ve been listening to The Disciple-Making Parent podcast. For more information about the book, The Disciple-Making Parent, visit thedisciplemakingparent.com.
