2025 FINDing Your New Years Resolution

Hey, bruthas. Still figuring out your 2025 New Year’s Resolution? Stopped doing resolutions years ago? I wrote this on December 14^th, but held it to release today as we befittingly charge into the new year….

When will we stop making excuses? We all do it. Every guy. Every group. Some more than others. Our enemy, Satan, is masterful at deceiving us, and planting excuses is one of the many ways in which he does it. Those excuses lead us to under-prioritize our Kingdom pursuits; getting in our Word and prayer daily; worshipping at our churches; and coming prepared to our FIND small group meetings. Some of you may recall the article I sent out to FIND members about a year and a half ago. But, this month, I’m reading through Luke one chapter a day like a lot of you are. There are 24 chapters in Luke, so it will finish on December 24^th. I was reminded again today (December 14) by what Jesus Christ said in Luke 14…

Luke 14 (NLT)

Parable of the Great Feast

16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”

I’ve jotted down some of the excuses that I’ve heard over the last few months. Do these resonate with you like they did with me? Am I not carrying my cross (and cost) of discipleship and not fulfilling our commitments and FIND Group Covenant with my small group?

• “I may be driving to Dallas tomorrow morning, are we still meeting?”
• “Just got home from my corporate Christmas party (11:30 PM), not gonna make it tomorrow.”
• “Sorry, guys. Overslept after forgetting to set my alarm.”
• “I’ve been on the road the last two days, and need to catch up on rest.”
• “Hey, brothers, I’ll be traveling on business this week and will have to miss”

Don’t undervalue the “great feast” of fellowship and discipleship that’s been gifted to us via our small groups! Is the “cost” really so much?

What’s your New Year’s resolution? I know what’s coming to my mind.