Moving forwards by looking backwards
'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.' — Ephesians 2:8–10
'The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life. The gospel is not the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom but the way we make all progress in the kingdom.' — Tim Keller
Resolutions.
Maybe you’re smashing yours (just 363 more days to go).
Maybe you think they’re pointless.
Maybe you’ve already given up—it’s okay.
Whether you love them or hate them, I believe the very act of setting resolutions is an expression of a deeper desire shared by every human being:
The desire to change.
All of us want things to be better than they currently are—whether that's in our lives, in our relationships, in the world around us.
We pour vast amounts of time, money and energy into improving our health, our lifestyle, our circumstances, our work and our relationships. We read the latest self-help books, listen to the trending podcasts and adopt new habits—all in an effort to transcend our present reality and transform our lives for the better.
As followers of Jesus, the desire for change runs even deeper—we long to be free from sin, to grow in holiness, and to experience more of the life of joy, purpose and peace that God made us for.
While our pursuit of change can be positive and constructive, when we rely on our own power and effort it can leave us feeling frustrated, exhausted and demoralised.
Despite our best efforts, things sometimes seem to get worse before they get better. The storms of life come, derailing our best-laid plans. The pressures and worries of life crowd out our well-meaning intentions.
Our problem isn’t that we desire change. It’s that our desire for change is often directed to the wrong end, and pursued by the wrong means.
Let me explain why—and how the gospel gives us a better, more beautiful and ultimately more glorious vision for change.
The way in is the way on
God’s purpose for our lives isn’t just that we’d become ‘better versions of ourselves’. It isn’t that we’d be a bit happier, a bit nicer, a bit more fulfilled.
God’s purpose for our lives, in the words of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, is to ‘glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever’.
It is that we would know Him more deeply, love Him more wholeheartedly, and delight in Him more fully each and every day of our lives.
It is that we would be ‘conformed to the image of His Son’ (Romans 8:29)—putting to death our sin and living in ever-increasing love and obedience, in union with Christ and empowered by His Spirit.
It is that we would bring glory and honour to Him as we bear fruit and ‘do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10).
This is what true change looks like—and the good news is that the power to bring it about isn’t something we find in ourselves.
It is all by grace.
‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.’ — Ephesians 2:8–9
If the goal of the Christian life is ever-increasing knowledge, love, obedience and worship of God, the means by which we grow is grace alone, through faith alone.
Grace was your way in to life with God, and grace is your way on. The way forwards in the Christian life comes by looking backwards—by resting in all that Christ has already done for you. Real change happens ‘in view of God’s mercy’ (Romans 12:1—rooted in His grace and enabled by His Spirit.
If you are looking for change in your life in 2026, don’t just rely on setting resolutions or making some new habits. These might be helpful things, but they can never deliver the lasting transformation you're looking for.
Instead, move forwards by looking backwards. Rejoice in all that Jesus has done on your behalf—dying in your place on the cross, bearing the punishment for your sin, clothing you with His righteousness, and sharing with you His eternal life—all so that you can know and enjoy His Father forever.
Grace was your way in.
Grace is your way on.
Rest in this amazing grace today, and every day of the year to come.
With love,
Mike
