How Bad Do You Really Want It?
1 Peter 2:1-3

With the beginning of the New Year people tend to start making their resolutions; pledges or plans they would like to achieve.  Things that they have been thinking about but have never been able to accomplish.  People talk about quitting smoking, losing weight, eating healthier, taking on a new hobby, working on their relationship, marriage, etc.  How about working or growing in your relationship with Christ.
Why is it that resolutions are so hard for some people? by the end of January some people already have thrown their resolutions out of the window?  Lack of commitment or passion?  Not enough motivation?
 I think it’s because they didn’t want it that bad.  You have to want something as if your life depended on it.  People stayed on long lines on black Friday because they wanted to get the new Xbox, the 50 inch TV.  They sacrificed time, sleep and their bodies, being out in the cold in order to get what they want.  This is how bad they truly want it.
As Christians, Why is it so hard for us to focus on the spiritual; to grow in Christ, or be better followers? The simple answer to this question is that we simply don’t wanted that bad, as if our lives depended on it.  As though everything depended upon this thing.
Every relationship needs nurturing: caring for it, spending time.
How do you spend time with God? Prayer, reading his word, meditating on what you read.
You cannot grow in your relationship with God if you don’t read the Bible; you will not know him well.  You can start to work on this any time, it doesn’t have to be when the New year gets here.  God expects you to seek him and be more like his Son in this life.

When Francis Chan became a Christian he remembered people told him at church that he needed to read the Bible.  He said that he forced himself and disciplined himself to get up early and start reading it.  This is how bad he wanted it.
My brother in law’s desire to grow.  He goes on vacation and takes his Bible and his guitar with him, constantly reading books that would challenge him to grow.  Involved in study groups and always attending church.  Even through Facebook posts, you can sense his passion for Christ.  This is how much he wants it.
Michael Jordan was cut from the varsity team when he was a sophomore in high school.   This motivated him to work arduously on his game.  He later on became the greatest basketball player in NBA.  This is how much he wanted it.

How bad do you want to work on your relationship with God? Your spiritual journey?
You must want it really bad in order to succeed.
We have to crave his word, the same way a baby craves milk.
1 Peter 2:1-3
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind.  How about these for a new year resolution?
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk (of the word NASB), so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Like a newborn baby craves milk, we are to crave the spiritual milk of God’s word so that by it, we may grow.
The Bible is to the Christian, what milk is to an infant.  If we want to eat the food that will bring spiritual nourishment, all the way to becoming mature people of God, this is what we must take daily.

A lot of Christians have lost the craving for the things of God, his Word.  Some have taken to water down God’s word and thus suffer malnutrition.  They don’t develop well as mature disciples of Jesus.
It’s never too late to start craving God’s word once again. You don’t have wait for things to change in your family, your home or church.  You can do it anytime.  No one else can do this for you; it’s something you either choose to do or not.  How much do you truly want to grow closer to God this year?  This depends on you also, it depends on how much you are nourishing yourself with the Word of God.

As Christians, we won’t grow in our relationship if we don’t crave his Word.
The Psalm writer cried out, as the deer pants for waters my soul pants for you of God.  My soul thirsts for God.  This is how bad he wanted God.  Psalm 42

Paul said that he wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and share in his suffering (Philippians 3:10)
For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Whatever plans or resolutions you are planning on working on this year, your success is going to depend on how bad you truly want it.  If you neglect your spiritual walk; your relationship with God.  Then you are not investing in what truly matters.  How bad do you truly want him?