The New Year.
We tend to greet it with a sigh of relief, particularly if the previous year was extremely hard and stressful. Like a blank slate, the possibility of more calls to us. Success, opportunities, advancement—they might actually be possible in this new year.
Goals and activities that previously eluded us seem attainable on Jan. 1. The opportunity to start fresh awaits.
But as children of God, we can celebrate a new year while also understanding that our opportunity to enter a new season does not occur only once a year. We don’t have to wait for a new year to arrive to have a fresh start or a new perspective on life. Nor do we have to lose that perspective as the days of 2017 stream past us, as we barrel toward 2018.
We have unbroken access to the One who makes all things new, who redeems every situation, and consistently encourages, helps, comforts, and motivates.
Jesus is a master of successful transformation—a craftsman with varying techniques to bring about beauty and maturity without crushing, manipulating, or settling for slight improvements.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1–3)
And even with the most challenging circumstances, He finishes all things He begins (Philippians 1:6).
Whether the issue is barrenness, crippling fear, mental illness, a lifetime of abuse and mistreatment, or rejection, Jesus has repeatedly proven that He is the God who readily responds to our cries saying, “I am willing; be healed.” The One who took our sicknesses and removed our diseases, the “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did,” bringing about healing and wholeness, even in the most impossible situations.
This truth can encourage us, because even with events sprinkled on our 2017 calendars, most of the year is unknown by us. It’s only because of Jesus that we can even have hope and confident expectation of what lies ahead. And although we may not know everything that will happen in our lives in the upcoming year, we can have confidence in the Good Shepherd’s leadership through the unknown terrain.
Regardless of what may arise, we can trust that His power will far outweigh our shortcomings and His guidance will direct us through the unexpected, as He leads us forward in victory.
It is by trusting Him and relying on His strength that we are able to heed the Apostle Paul, who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, encouraged believers to keep moving forward.
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12–14)
Much of our success throughout the year hinges more on how we handle the events that occur than the actual events themselves. And we’ll be better equipped to handle situations—good or bad—if we agree with what the Lord is saying about us and what He has for us.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
We are children of God.
We are more than overcomers through Him who loved us.
And we’ve been set free from sin and death by a victorious King who is for us and has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
Because of God’s grace, life is not relegated to the same patterns, habits, or ways of thinking. We can have more and achieve greater, not because it’s a new year, but because our God is committed to taking us from glory to glory.
And because the greater One lives inside, we can believe truth and stand in faith regardless of what may come. We can have His perspective of every situation and circumstance and even of ourselves, whether we’re feasting on success or falling short of our own expectations.
We can trust the One who is Truth, knowing that what He speaks over our lives is what prevails. Agreement with Truth matters in our lives, impacts our perspective, and completely changes everything.
This year, let’s celebrate the New Year—not because January 1 holds a special weight— but because it is the day the Lord has made so that we can rejoice and be glad in it. He has good plans for us in 2017 to make us look more like His Son as we seize the opportunity to participate in His good work with Him.
We can have His perspective about all things and experience His delight, looking forward to to this year with hope and joyful expectation because of who He is and who He will always be.
What new things does the Lord want you to embrace in your upcoming season?
