New Beginning – Beginning Anew
As we begin a new year, many of us strategize on how to be better people and do better in general than we did the last year. The focus of our resolutions may be faith, relationships, health, finances, or any number of things. Some will say they are going to pray more, go to church regularly, eat healthier, bond with the special people in their lives and follow God’s will, not their own. However, before the first snow of the New Year has melted away, so will many of our well-meaning resolutions soon evaporate.
In actuality, the only difference in December 31st and January 1st is a day – a 24hr period – the changing of the last two digits in the year from 22 to 23! The resolve to be better people, better Christians, better husbands, wives etc. should be a day-by-day quest. We have to realize that time wasted is time we can never recapture. We need not wait for 365 days to evaluate ourselves and resolve to do better. If we have failed, and we all will, we need to look at Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3:14 wherein he says… Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us
In life, it is more important how you end than how you began. Life is more about the journey. The journey is about how we overcome our failings and grow from them and not be bound by them. Focus on the future, and do not dwell too long on the past. We will assuredly fail along the way but even our failures provide spiritual lessons. {And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28).
None of us are perfect, however, we must strive to be our best and do our best daily. Even in failures, we must not waste time but immediately start over again and not allow long periods of time to pass before we seek God Who will always give us the lift we need when we need it.
As you resolve, as you determine, as you make up your mind to do better this year than last year, follow Paul’s godly advice to press forward striving to live lives that honor God and look to God’s Word to guide you through life’s journey.
