by Anna Haiar

Resolving to Live in God’s Grace

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” 
Titus 2:11-13 English Standard Version

Every January, we are invited to become better versions of ourselves. We resolve to eat better, exercise more, manage our time wisely, or finally break habits that have followed us for years. There is something hopeful about the turning of the calendar, as though the new year offers a clean slate and renewed resolve. Yet, by mid-January, many of our best intentions begin to fade, leaving us discouraged and wondering why change feels so difficult.

Scripture offers a different starting point for transformation. In Titus 2:12, Paul writes that the grace of God is “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (ESV). Notice what comes first—not our resolve, but God’s grace. Change does not begin with sheer willpower or perfectly crafted goals. It begins with grace that teaches, shapes, and sustains us.

New Year’s resolutions often focus on what we can accomplish if we just try harder. God’s Word reminds us that lasting change flows from who we already are in Christ. We are not striving to earn God’s favor through better habits or stronger discipline. We live differently because we already belong to Him. Grace trains us like a loving teacher who walks with us day by day.

This perspective gently reframes our resolutions. Instead of asking, “What do I need to fix about myself this year?” we might ask, “Where is God inviting me to grow under His grace?” Self-control becomes less about rigid self-denial and more about freedom from what enslaves us. Upright and godly living becomes a response to God’s love, not a burden we carry alone.

As this new year begins, it is good to reflect, to plan, and even to set goals. But let us anchor them not in guilt or fear of failure, but in grace. God is already at work in you. He is patient with your weaknesses, faithful in your stumbles, and committed to shaping your life for His glory.

May this year be marked not merely by resolutions kept or broken, but by hearts continually trained by grace: learning, growing, and walking with Christ in the present age.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.