Pursuing Love in 2023: Seven Resolutions for a Christ-centered Life

Seven Resolutions to Pursue Love in 2023

Love is the foundation of Christian faith, and it is the essence of God’s character. Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). Pursuing love is not an option; it is a calling for every Christian. However, loving God and others can be challenging in a world full of distractions, confusion, and conflicts. We need to make a conscious effort to pursue love daily. As we begin a new year, here are seven resolutions to help us pursue love in 2023.

1. Spend Time with God

Love for God is the foundation of love for others. We cannot love others well unless we first love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Spending time with God in prayer, worship, and Bible study is essential for cultivating our love for God. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” (Philippians 1:9). When we spend time with God, we grow in our knowledge of him, and our love for him deepens.

Resolution: Set aside a specific time each day to spend with God in prayer, worship, and Bible study. Make it a priority and guard that time from distractions. Ask God to reveal more of his love to you and to help you love him more deeply.

2. Serve Others

Jesus teaches us that the greatest among us is the one who serves (Matthew 23:11). Serving others is an essential expression of love. When we serve others, we put their needs before our own and demonstrate the selfless love of Christ. Service can take many forms, from volunteering at a local charity to helping a neighbor with a task. Whatever form it takes, serving others is a tangible expression of our love for them.

Resolution: Look for opportunities to serve others in your community. Ask God to show you where he wants you to serve. Make a habit of looking for ways to help those around you, and be willing to step out of your comfort zone to meet their needs.

3. Forgive Quickly

Forgiveness is a crucial aspect of love. When we forgive others, we release them from the debt they owe us and demonstrate the grace of Christ. Forgiveness is not easy, but it is necessary for healthy relationships. Jesus teaches us to forgive others as we have been forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). When we forgive others, we reflect the love and forgiveness of God.

Resolution: Make a commitment to forgive quickly in 2023. When someone wrongs you, choose to forgive them instead of holding a grudge. Remember how much God has forgiven you, and extend that same grace to others.

4. Love Your Enemies

Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Loving our enemies is one of the most challenging aspects of love, but it is also one of the most powerful. When we love our enemies, we demonstrate the radical love of Christ and break down the walls of hatred and division. Loving our enemies does not mean condoning their behavior, but it does mean seeking their good and blessing them.

Resolution: Make a list of your enemies or those who have hurt you in the past. Ask God to help you love them and pray for them. Look for ways to bless them and seek their good, even if it is difficult.

5. Build Unity

Unity is a hallmark of the Christian faith. Jesus prayed that his followers would be one, just as he and the Father are one (John 17:21). Unity does not mean uniformity, but it does mean pursuing oneness in Christ and working together for his purposes. Building unity requires humility, patience, and a willingness to listen and understand others. When we build unity, we reflect the love of Christ and demonstrate his power to the world.

Resolution: Look for ways to build unity in your relationships and church community. Seek to understand others’ perspectives and be willing to compromise for the sake of unity. Pray for unity in your church and in the larger body of Christ.

6. Speak Words of Life

Our words have the power to build up or tear down others. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” When we speak words of life, we encourage, inspire, and bless others. When we speak words of death, we discourage, criticize, and wound them. Speaking words of life is a vital expression of love, and it requires us to be intentional and thoughtful in our speech.

Resolution: Make a commitment to speak words of life in 2023. Before speaking, ask yourself if your words will encourage or discourage others. Choose to speak words that build up and bless others, even in difficult situations.

7. Trust God’s Love

Our ability to love others is ultimately rooted in our trust in God’s love for us. When we trust in God’s love, we are freed from fear, anxiety, and self-centeredness, and we are empowered to love others selflessly. Trusting in God’s love requires us to surrender our fears and doubts to him and to believe that he is working all things for our good and his glory.

Resolution: Make a commitment to trust in God’s love in 2023. When you face challenges or struggles, remind yourself of God’s love for you and his promise to work all things for your good. Ask God to help you trust him more deeply and to use you to demonstrate his love to others.

Conclusion

As we begin a new year, let us resolve to pursue love with all our heart, soul, and mind. Let us spend time with God, serve others, forgive quickly, love our enemies, build unity, speak words of life, and trust God’s love. May the love of Christ compel us to love others well and to demonstrate his love to a world in need.

May we remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Let us pursue love in 2023 and beyond, and may it be the foundation of all we do.