Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, has said that only New Year resolutions accompanied by prayers and determination can meet a fulfilling end.

Mr Badejo stated this in an interview on Wednesday in Ibadan.

According to Mr Badejo, resolutions are good and necessary for every human step in life, adding, however, that they need to be properly understood.

“A resolution is different from a wish, which is a simple desire that does not imply action. As it is often said, if wishes were horses, even beggars would ride one. A resolution is a plan, a roadmap to making a wish come true. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

“New year resolutions should not be joked with, as they are the undertakings of serious-minded people. A verse in the Bible even talks about Jesus Christ resolutely turning his face toward Jerusalem, where he was to lay down his life. (Luke 9:51),” he said.

The bishop maintained that resolutions should be taken seriously.

“Many people in governance and private enterprises in Nigeria dream dreams, but some will not make any concrete arrangements for action. This is largely the bane of our society, but the truth is that a determined or resolute person will be difficult to stop or distract.

“It’s a pity that most people are dreamers and not doers, and that’s why it is difficult to achieve their New Year resolutions,” Mr Badejo said.

Also, the Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, Methodist Church Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Oluyinka Akande noted that Christian perspectives on New Year resolutions varied.

Mr Akande stated that many focused on spiritual growth, self-improvement and aligning goals with biblical principles.

According to him, resolutions may involve fostering a deeper relationship with God, practising virtues like kindness and patience or committing to acts of service.

“The idea is to pursue resolutions that align with Christian values and contribute to personal and spiritual development,” he said.

In his Open Heaven Devotion on Tuesday, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, urged Christians to focus on their 2024 resolutions.

Mr Adeboye said, “This year, ensure that you do not pretend or form, as the youth will say, before God. Tell Him exactly where the shoe hurts, make up your mind like me to ask for His help more than ever before this year and He will surely answer you.”

(NAN)