RESOLUTION
FOLLOW-UP

Topics: Determination; Discipline; Faithfulness; Humility; Imitation of Christ; Obedience; Self-discipline; Self-examination

References: Mark 8:34–35; Philippians 1:9–10; James 4:10

Jonathan Edwards, the eighteenth-century revivalist, sat down at age seventeen and penned twenty-one resolutions by which he would live his life. He added to this list until, by his death, he had seventy resolutions.

He put this at the top of his list: “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.”

To follow up, each week Edwards did a self-check. He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God’s help in the process.

—Jan Brown, Christianity Online Connection (January 8, 1999)