But, due to some relationally painful situations this past year, I've also become more closed off to people in order to protect myself (one step back). I let things go more quickly, criticism doesn't cripple me as much, and I'm actually becoming more patient with people–I'm trusting God more (cha-ching, cha-ching). For example, this past year I've become a lot slower to 'make my point' in conversations with my wife–I listen more and talk less (one step forward).

Every year I get better at some things, worse at others. What he chronicles sounds so much like me over the years.

I purpose and hope to rise early in the morning, by 8, and by degrees, at 6.'ġ775: 'When I look back upon resolution of improvement and amendments which have, year after year, been made and broken, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try because reformation is necessary and despair is criminal.' He resolves again to rise at 8.ġ781: (3 years before his death) 'I will not despair, help me, help me, oh my God.' He resolves to rise at 8 or sooner to avoid idleness. My purpose is from this time to avoid idleness and to rise early.'ġ764: (5 months later) He resolves to rise early, 'not later than 6 if I can.'ġ765: 'I purpose to rise at 8 because, though, I shall not rise early it will be much earlier than I now rise for I often lie until 2.'ġ769: 'I am not yet in a state to form any resolutions. Taken from Johnson's diary and prayer journal, Jack gives us a record–through the years–of Johnson's life-long resolutions, failures, and frustrations:ġ738: He wrote, 'Oh Lord, enable me to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth.'ġ757: (19 years later) 'Oh mighty God, enable me to shake off sloth and redeem the time misspent in idleness and sin by diligent application of the days yet remaining.'ġ759: (2 years later) 'Enable me to shake off idleness and sloth.'ġ761: 'I have resolved until I have resolved that I am afraid to resolve again.'ġ764: 'My indolence since my last reception of the sacrament has sunk into grossest sluggishness. Miller recounts the valiant efforts of Samuel Johnson (a literary giant of the 18th century) to fight sloth and to get up early in the morning to pray. My friend Jean Larroux sent me this powerful illustration that he got from Jack Miller. But don't be surprised a year from now when you realize that you've fallen short…again.įor those who try and try, year after year, again and again, to get better and better, only to take three steps forward then two steps back, one step forward then three steps back…I have good news for you: you're in good company! There are a lot of improvements I'm hoping to make over the next 12 months. You might make some great strides this year. We're going to finally be all that we can be. We're going to pray more, serve more, plan more, give more, read more, and memorize more Bible verses.

We're going to be better husbands, wives, fathers, mothers. We're going to get in shape, eat better, lust less, waste less time, be more content, more disciplined, more intentional. We promise ourselves that we're going to quit bad habits and start good ones. This time we're really going to try, we're not going to quit. We resolve to turn over a new leaf–and this time we're serious.

On to the next one