Just like a ship, there are times when a person’s life needs a course correction. For the last 33 years, on December 27, I take time out to evaluate the past year and make goals for the new. This is not a New Year’s resolution, my goals are not tethered to the physical (there are no weight loss or work out goals here, or vows to stop a bad habit), but rather to my connection with God. By examining the failures of the past year, I can make better choices in the year ahead. I’m sure many of you have such a ritual as well. How can we make it better?

A while back we shared a decision-making matrix that may be helpful here:

When looking at the past year I’m looking for things that negatively impacted my relationship with God, my spiritual growth or my ability to share the gospel with others. This will be easier if you keep a journal, but even if you don’t you can still come up with a few items if you think hard. I then try to come up with a better response or solution to whatever caused my poor or sinful action. Taking this information, I develop a plan of action I can follow the next time I am presented with that situation or temptation.

Learning how to avoid temptation or to respond in a godly way to everyday situations is only one part of my time of course correction. Examining spiritual disciplines like how frequently I read or study God’s word (there is a difference between the two), how often I pray and for how long, how frequently I shared Jesus with others, how much I tithed versus how much I spent on non-essential items, how many times I celebrated communion and how accountable I was to my Christian friends and family.

Based on these results I come up with a plan for the coming year. The plan focuses not on the failures but on simply being better in the ways that matter most. Need to spend more time in the Bible? Buy one on audible.com for around $30 and listen to it while getting ready for work, while driving or during your workout. Need more time in really studying God’s word? Check out the options available at logos.com and pick out software that will help you get more from your study time. Need a reminder to pray? Set your watch alarm, or have Cortana or Alexa provide a verbal reminder. Need help recognizing openings for evangelism? Put it on your calendar, every day, so you are prompted to keep watching for opportunities. Do you track tithing on your budget? If not, start. If so, examine your budget to see if you can give more. If your church celebrates communion regularly, be sure not to miss those services. Build accountability into your closest friendships.

It’s not hard to find ways to build healthy disciplines into your life. It’s not even hard to avoid temptation if you are observant and honest with yourself. Start paying attention, write down your observations and regularly review them. You can have the relationship with God you both want, if you really want it.