It is not uncommon to think of the new year as a fresh start, a clean slate, or a new beginning. All the hoopla and celebration of New Year’s Eve has schooled us to think that life is brand new every January 1st. There is an element of comfort in thinking this way, and an element of excitement. We are comforted by considering that the problems of the prior year are over; and we are excited by anticipating the fresh solutions that the new year will bring.
However, in reality January 1st changes nothing but the calendar. New Year’s Day is not any newer than today is or tomorrow will be. Every morning is a new beginning and a clean slate, and a fresh start. Look at Lamentations 3:22, 23. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness”.
Every day we have the opportunity to write success, or status quo, or failure on our slates, and each new morning offers us a “do-over”. Each day gives us a chance to remedy a disappointment, to right a wrong, or to overcome an adversity. Each day offers us the prospect of achieving our goal, being wildly successful, or witnessing a great victory. And every day, God’s faithfulness is great.
Now, I’m not disputing that January 1st is a special day. A new year does change things. The first thing that comes to mind is our age. Whether we like it or whether we don’t, every one of us will add a year to our age in 2023. Anniversaries will also add a year. Maybe you are graduating from school in 2023, that couldn’t happen until the year arrived. But my point is that although a new year provides new opportunities, every morning is a fresh start and a new day. Every day we can have comfort in considering that the problems of yesterday are past; and excitement anticipating the fresh solutions that the new day can bring. Those ideas are not limited to January 1st.
Think about resolutions… We all probably make New Year’s resolutions. And if you are anything like me, you break those resolutions frequently. Maybe we should consider making daily resolutions instead of making New Year’s resolutions. For example, we might make a New Year’s resolution that we are going to walk every day. But the first time that we miss a day of walking, we become discouraged because we have broken our resolution. How much easier would it be to make a resolution that you are going to walk today? Small goals are often more manageable than long-term goals. Also, achieving small goals can build a pattern of success that helps us reach those big goals.
Why not have the same excitement every day that we have on January 1st? It’s just a matter of how and what we think.
In Colossians 3:2, it says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” The word ‘affection’ in this verse means our mind, our thoughts, our understanding, our opinions, our interests. We are to direct our thinking to a higher place, which is heaven. And everything we know about heaven is found in God’s Word. So, bottom line – we must direct our thoughts toward what the Bible says.
This is further explained in Isaiah 55:9, where God says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
It is also explained in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The word renew also means to renovate or make a complete change for the better. Since birth, our thoughts have been governed by our 5 senses only. But when we got born again, we received holy spirit that offered us another avenue of learning. This means that we can renovate our old way of thinking so it will reflect what God’s Words says. And that is definitely a complete change for the better!
When we change our thinking to agree with what God’s Word says, we open the door for God to work in our lives. He will guide our steps. He will strengthen us. He will deliver us. And none of what He does is limited to a specific day on the calendar. So, our expectations shouldn’t be limited either. God’s mercies are new each morning. He is always with us to help us tackle whatever comes our way.
In conclusion… Happy New Year!! I can’t deny that a new year is exciting. I just encourage you to look at each new day with the same zeal that January 1st elicits. God’s compassions fail not. That alone should inspire us. We can be enthusiastic every day because the future is as bright as the promises of God, no matter what year it is or what day.
Note to my readers: I am reminded of the wonderful old hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, where in the chorus it says:
…Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Thanks for reading!