30 Commitments for a New Life

1. Find your God-given mission and purpose. Set your goals, then spend your life achieving them.
2. Have a daily quiet time with God each morning (Psalm 5:3; Psalm 42:1,2). Read and meditate on the Bible (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7-10). Pray for your life and the needs of others (James 5:16). Keep a packet of favorite scriptures on hand to memorize and meditate upon (Psalm 119:11,15,48,97) during the day. Carry a Bible with you to read throughout the day.
3. Pray throughout the day (Colossians 4:2). Talk to God the moment a problem comes.
4. Go to bed on time and early to be rested. Get up early and on time to start the day unrushed.
5. Take one step at a time. Pace yourself for the long-run. See life as a process. Start walking.
6. Rest in the sovereignty of God (Romans 8:28; Psalm 42:5; 46:10; 62:1,2; 68:19). If you can't do anything about a difficult situation, let it go and let God have it (Psalm 27:1,2; 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7). Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe and that He is (Isaiah 41:10: Psalm 95:1-6; 139:1-18). Trust God regardless what your emotions may tell you.
7. Develop authentic humility. Lose the need to self-aggrandize (Psalm 25:9; 36:11; 149:4; 1 Peter 5:5, 6). Don’t take yourself or your successes so seriously. Be less threatened by others.
8. Own your own faults and confess your sins (1 John 1:9; Psalm 32, 51). But don't let others put their sins and problems on you. Don’t take guilt trips. Live in the grace of God (Psalm 103:12).
9. Read devotional literature by Tozer, Nouwen, Foster, Nee, and others to help you in your walk.
10. Develop and nurture several close friendships with godly and wise people for accountability, encouragement, counsel, and fellowship (Proverbs 17:17; Ecclesiastes 4:10; Galatians 6:2).
11. Find a life’s work you can love. Work and excel at your craft and calling. (Ecclesiastes (9:10).
12. Live on less, within your means, and debt-free. Be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5)
13. Talk less and listen more. (Psalms 141:3; Ecclesiastes 5:2.) Listen to others with empathy.
14. Play soothing, inspirational music throughout the day (Psalm 57:7; 98:4,5; Ephesians 5:19)
15. Get exercise with aerobics and strength-training most every day (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).
16. Live healthy. Eat smaller portions, less often, less fat, less sugar, and low carbohydrates. Get 8 hours of sleep every night; eat breakfast; drink water; use sunscreen, brush and floss your teeth: wash your hands often with soap; take vitamins. Have a yearly physical exam and take your doctor’s health advice. Your body is God’s temple so take care of it. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20
17. Give generously to your church, the needy, missions, and worthy people. (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7).
18. Live with optimism and joy. When life gives you lemons, make lemon meringue pie!
19. Develop a forgiving attitude (Ephesians 4:32) toward family, co-workers, neighbors, and everyone you meet (1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Colossians 3:13). Let go of wrongs done to you.
20. Journal your thoughts and inspirations each day. Go back and re-read them often.
21. Do something that gives you pleasure every day (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).
22. Laugh! Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. (Proverbs 15:13, 15)
23. Become a soul environmentalist. Keep friends who are godly and cheerful (Proverbs 17:17; 27:9). Get rid of foolish and angry people (Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 14:7; 16:29; 29:22).
24. Simplify and un-clutter your life so your life has order and efficiency. Junk the unnecessary.
25. Be kind to difficult people (1 Thessalonians 5:15) since they probably need kindness the most.
26. Accept life’s disappointments (2 Timothy 2:3). Pain happens (Matthew 5:45). Grieve, learn, endure, and move on. (Psalm 119:72: Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; James 1:2-4).
27. Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity (Proverbs 3:3; 1 Peter 4:8).
28. Deal with your issues. Own our faults. Get rid your weaknesses and faults. Change!
29. Get away frequently to see the wonder and majesty of God in creation (Psalm 19:1-6).
30. Every night before you go to sleep, take a few moments to thank God for His blessings and benefits in your life (Psalms 69:30; 98:1; 100:4; 103:1-5; 145:2).