“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Though the origin of this phrase is attributed to a variety of authors who date as far back as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12^th century, the meaning remains the same: There is little merit to good intentions unless they are acted upon.

So what does this mean for the roughly 60 pecent of Americans who make at least one New Year’s resolution each January? Given that only a paltry 8 percent say they actually succeed in keeping their resolutions, it would appear that the proverbial road to hell gets a major upgrade every January!

I’ve never been a great fan of New Year’s resolutions — but it’s not because I fear being part of the 92 percent who don’t make or keep them. It’s because I’m convinced that being resolved is not an activity that should be reserved only for the new year. Success in all of life, and, more particularly, in following Jesus, hinges on continually being resolved, not on occasionally being well-intentioned. 

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus said that following Him is about “learning to obey,” not intending to obey. He very pointedly asked the well-intentioned in the crowd, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). 

So as a follower of Jesus, I am resolved — not just in this new year, but every day — to actively do something about what Jesus says. 

Because Jesus says to love our neighbors, my wife and I invited them to come for dinner this week as a tangible way to express our love for them and to deepen our relationship. Because God promises that He uniquely blesses those who delight in and meditate on His words, we have resolved to work together to memorize new portions of it this year. Because Jesus says that He loves it when we share His resources with others, we gave away more of our income in 2016 than in the previous year, and we are resolved to do it again in 2017.

Following Jesus is about resolving to obey Him every day. And obedience is only possible as we depend on Him, by faith in the gospel, to produce His righteousness in us.