New Year. New You?
The new year brings hope, for some of us. A fresh beginning, a second chance, a do-over. I always looked forward to moments like this in life. Moving from one place to another, restarting life. Having a baby, and quitting everything to reexamine life with a new small human. “New” is exciting because it bubbles over with possibility.
But the other side of “new” is fear. Fear of change, fear of failure, fear that every particle of dust will settle back into the same old cracks. And the “new” will pass away, once again, unnoticed. These single chances for change are left up to us: resolutions, boundaries, and 30-day habits. And we are certainly in danger of failure.
Also, we would be lying if we thought that “new" is always positive. Some of us are forced to find a “new” way to live with the diagnosis of cancer. Others are struggling to start the new year after losing the love of their life. “New” isn’t always better. And starting something new doesn’t always go as we plan.
Now, our society is enraptured with positive thinking and visualization to better ourselves. So most of the advice on social media you will find this month is summed up by the catchy slogan “New Year, New You”. There is no lack of exercise plans and meditation habits that you can follow, if that’s what you are looking for. But I am convinced we blur the truth of what always has been, during these times of intense self-improvement.
New Year.
New You?
When life happens, or when we happen to our lives, there is always one unchanging constant. Our God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. There is nothing new under the sun. His plans for us were established in the foundations of the earth. And He always remembers His people. We, however, forget our God very quickly. We like to operate outside of his control and credit ourselves with success. We like to make excuses for our unfaithful actions and hide from his watchful eye. We like to pretend that we have made ourselves into something great, or something new, or at least something different. And in the end, we are not very good at re-creating ourselves, anyway.
Instead of focusing our gaze into ourselves this new year, I challenge us to remember some of the unexpected prayers in the Bible. When life turned into something “new” these prayers looked to God for answers and resolution. When the pressure was on for self-improvement and moving forward, these tiny prayers gut-checked us all to turn back to God's promises.
Next week we will begin a Bible Study Series on a few Unexpected Prayers, delivered to your inbox:
Good or bad, positive or negative, hopeful or discouraged, our path remains the same. God sent His only Son so that everyone who believes will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Share this prayer journey with a friend for the new year! Let’s remember together the unexpected prayers of God’s people. Our study will build up true hope in the only “new” that is, and will eternally be!
Blessed New Year Koch family!😇🌅✝️