A Holy New year

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, but as the calendar changes I find myself thinking of areas in my life where change would also be welcome.  

There are plenty areas where I could make changes -- and perhaps even should: read more and facebook less, eat more nutritious foods and fewer junky ones, exercise, be more diligent about housekeeping and doing the chores I tend to put off.  All these things have value, but it's so temporal.  

I'm craving a deeper, more lasting change.  I'd like to grow in faith.  To not depend so heavily on emotions to determine the state of my heart.  To love others more than I love myself -- in practice!  To walk more closely with God.

But can one resolve to walk with God, and then just do it?  Or does that kind of change happen only by the Spirit's moving?  Or is it the Spirit who gives the resolve in the first place and then enables a holy change?  If I go too far down that path I start messing with predestination, which I consider knowledge too wonderful for me and too lofty for me to attain.

So, with simple faith, I resolve to heed James' instructions to submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse my hands and purify my heart.  

And may the Spirit who is already moving continue to move and grant us all a holy new year.