If you could make just one New Year's resolution for the coming year, what would it be? I used to make a long list of New Year's resolutions every year, but I only got discouraged because I never kept them so I've decided to concentrate on just one this year. — K.M.

If I could make only one resolution it would be this: that I might become more and more like Christ during the coming year.

This, after all, is God's will for every one of His children. The Bible says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). Every day we are tempted to forget God and live for ourselves, but God's will is for us to become more and more like His Son. And this happens as we stay close to Christ and allow His Spirit to change us and renew us from within. When we submit our hearts and lives to Christ, the Bible says we will be "transformed into his likeness ... which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What does it mean to be like Christ? First, it means to be like Him in His behavior—rejecting sin, living pure and godly lives, and sharing His love with others. It also means to be like Him in our character—in love and peace and patience, and in all the other fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Begin this New Year by making sure of your relationship with God. If you've never invited Christ to come into your life, do so today. Then ask Him to help you become more like Christ this year, as you submit to His Word and follow Him every day.