Happy New Year

New Year’s Day. Another year is in the history books; a new year looms before us full of hope and potential. New Year’s Day can be a time of reflection, a time for planning. What has been is past and what will be is not yet known. It is safe to say that the coming year will be punctuated by moments of joy and sadness, laughter and tears, ups and downs. On the whole, there will be a lot of everyday sort of living. But the measure of this year will rest primarily on you. How will you approach this coming year?

Some people will make resolutions. They will decide, here and now, what they will have accomplished in the next 365 days. They want to lose weight, read more, eat healthier, learn a new language, etc. So they declare their intent in the form of a resolution. Most of them will fail to accomplish their stated goal. Someone said 80% of all resolutions fail by Valentine’s Day, but don’t let that discourage you—20% make it.

I’m not advocating New Year’s resolutions, but I’m not opposing them either. You are more likely to succeed at achieving a goal that is written down and shared with others. People with clearly stated (and written down) goals are much more likely to succeed. This is a situation in which the fear of embarrassment works for people. Once they have committed to a documented course of action, they run the risk of embarrassing themselves. That fear drives them to pursue the goal.

What I am suggesting is that we learn to embrace the new. Let go of past regrets and the lies that have held you in bondage. As Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV). Jesus is making all things new, including you.

The simple truth is neither you nor I can change one thing from the past. We can experience forgiveness, but it is beyond our power to undo our mistakes. With that in mind, I have one resolution: Through faith, I will dwell in the grace of God, in every circumstance, throughout the coming year.

I hope this resolution serves me well. It is a bit broad, but it is intended to cover the scope of my life. I have weight to lose, books to read, sermons to prepare (and preach), classes to teach, papers to write, etc. I could take the time to make resolutions that would address each area of my life, but the one resolution serves my purpose.

In all that I face in the coming year, I want to face it in faith. I want to rely on grace. I tried to go it on my own, in my own power and strength, but that has left me frustrated, discouraged, and tired. In the upcoming year, I hope to labor, by his grace, in the Lord’s strength. I will fail, but in his grace he will not let go.

Today is stretched out before me. It is the first day of a new year, and I intend on enjoying it. I hope the year ahead is filled with blessings for all of you. May God bless.