So here we are. It’s a new year. Many of us have been ready for a new year of new beginnings…since about April! We left 2020, proclaiming that 2021 holds all our answers. I, like many others, sat down on January 1st with big ideas for big change. I’ll eat better, exercise more, drink more water, finish my book, and focus on loving well.
Deep inside, I know I will likely fail at many of these resolutions by mid-February. If will power was enough to make all these things happen, I would already be a hydrated, selfless, clean-eating, published author of ideal weight! It’s easy to get frustrated and defeated when we don’t do what we set out to do.
This isn’t a new problem. The apostle Paul lamented about doing things he didn’t want to do and not doing things he wanted to do. He also understood the importance of plugging into the Source of everything he was meant to be. You see, the things we DO are merely a reflection of who we ARE. Then, God opened my eyes to something different. What if our focus is wrong? What if we reframe our “New Year, New You” endeavors?
Changing what I do doesn’t really change me. However, when I give God the freedom to change my being, my doing is also transformed! This year, I’m going to choose to do things a bit differently. I’m going to choose to make first things first, and let God do the renewing.
I’m choosing to renew my…
- Thoughts: Do not conform to the patterns and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2).
- Focus: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
- Priorities: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
- Trust: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
- Attention: In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:6).
I love how this last verse contains a promise! If we seek Him in everything we do, He will direct our steps. Isn’t this comforting? If we simply seek Him above everything that threatens to derail us, He will guide us on the right path.
As we enter 2021, let’s remember that “new” is important to God. Although He never changes, He promises “newness” to all who call upon His name.
- He is always “doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19).
- He gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
- He gives us a new nature (Colossians 3:10).
- He puts a new song in my mouth (Psalm 40:3).
- He gives us new mercies, every morning (Lamentations 3:23).
Instead of entering this year in our own strength, let’s focus on laying our shortcomings, our plans, our hopes, and our goals at God’s feet. Let us lay aside our frantic striving and rest in the only true source of lasting change. Let us open up our hands to release the control that isn’t really ours, anyway. Let us, instead, focus on allowing the Spirit to lead us in all we do.
Jesus, thank you for the promise of making us new. Help us, in this new year, to relax and rest in your promise and your power to make us new. Help us turn our plans, focus, thoughts, priorities, and trust completely to you, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. For the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord–who is the Spirit–makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:12, 17, 18).