As another year comes to a close, I think about how we are prompted to live anew at the start of a new year. While I do think this is a great idea, I often wonder why we wait for the calendar to turn over another year when we can start to make changes at any time of the year. Maybe a new year makes it easier for us to denote a before and after kind of thinking, perhaps we feel too busy to make a change, or maybe the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas shines a light on much needed change. Whatever the reason, the reality of our ‘New Year’s resolutions’ is that they invariably only last a few weeks at best. God’s word tells us in Lamentations 3:23 that great is His faithfulness and His mercies are new every morning. While we cannot go back to the beginning, with God we can start at any moment to work on making a different ending trusting God with the outcome.

As I continue to move forward with God, I do think that the end of the year is a great time to reflect on the previous year. I can have moments of satisfaction as I see what God has done and where I have grown, as well as areas that He may be asking me to work on in the following year. In this process, the first and most important thing is for me to be reminded of God’s goodness and all of the blessings in my life. I do this by taking the time to read my gratitude list and every piece of paper in my ‘Let Go and Let God Box.’ As I read all of the things I wrote on my gratitude list, I am reminded of the many small things God does for me every day, as well as things that were just one moment in time that I completely forgot about. As I read these, I find that my mind needs reminders of what God has done as I so easily slip into self pity forgetting all I have to be thankful for.

The God box also helps me to remember those things which kept my mind captive that I made the conscious choice to hand over to Him in admitting my own powerlessness. As I read each paper, I find there are many answered prayers God has already handled which I choose to dispose of. If it is something that still is not resolved, I put it back in the box again, choosing to trust God by putting that problem in His hands. I am humbled as I read all of the things I asked Him to handle that He did without my awareness or acknowledgment. It is a great opportunity for me to be filled with wonder at all that God has done, offering him my praise and gratitude for His greatness. 

It is in this space of a grateful heart that I can then choose to step back and look at myself. Seeing the things I had written down helps me to see my own positive change in the past year and thank God for that as well. With my growth as encouragement, I can hold the tension between awareness of how far I have come with God and then also where I still need work. I acknowledge the need for me to continue to do my part and ask God to do for me what I can not do for myself. With each step of faith and trust I take, I know that He is growing me. I am thankful I’m not where I began and that He’s not finished with me yet. I know that He will carry on the good work He began in me (Philippians 1:6). 

Lastly, I will look forward to this next year in anticipation of all He will do. It may not look like I think, but it is with His expectant hope that I can be at peace with whatever He has planned. In calm certainty, I will ask Him to lead me and guide me in His will by continuing to shape and transform me one step at a time, one day at a time with a humble and willing spirit finding joy along the way. I will choose to not be defeated when I mess up once again as I will gratefully accept His new mercies for me every single day.

Practice for Today

I will take the time to review the past year with God to focus on the growth and all He’s done with the intention of using that information to provide direction for the next year. I will choose to not get caught up in all of the things that drag me down the path of shoulds and wishful thinking. This reflection is about acknowledgment, acceptance and thankfulness, and any thought outside of that I will choose to take captive and offer it to Him. May I be filled with joy and hope in expectancy of what the next year has in store, as I embrace what God is doing in my life.

Lamentations 3:22-23   The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

Philippians 1:6  And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.