Hi friend,
It’s that time of year when everyone starts reflecting on the past year and making plans for the new year. All of the self-help advice, weight loss commercials, and celebratory end of year social media posts can be overwhelming. It’s easy to go into Christmas hopeful and joyful, only to head into the new year stressed and discouraged by comparison.
The other day I met a sweet Christian woman in the bathroom of my university’s bookstore. When I asked about what she did in the area she told me, "It’s been a good life." She met her husband in the small town where I attend college and has lived there ever since.
We don’t have to do extravagant things in this life to serve the Lord well. We don’t need to drastically change ourselves to be worthy of anyone’s love because the love God has for us is unchanging. How beautiful it is to be able to look back on life and, instead of holding onto comparison and regret, honestly say, “It’s been a good life.”
New Year’s resolutions are a great way to practice discipline and strive to make decisions that help ourselves and others. As long as we remember God in all that we do, resolutions can be positive and help us to grow in our faith. Here are some ideas for how to keep the Lord at the center of all that we do in the new year.
What are you longing for in your life right now and for the new year?
1. Ask God what He wants you to grow in this year. What are some areas in your faith that you have been struggling with lately? Where did you grow in your faith in the last year? How can you continue that growth? A good place to start is to consider what fruits of the spirit you might need to strengthen: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5: 22-23). How can you take clear steps to better embody that fruit of the spirit? What does it look like to be loving, joyful, peaceful, etc.?
2. While you are talking to God about how He wants you to grow, consider asking Him for a word to define this new year.Take some time to think about what kinds of scripture have spoken to you lately. What are you longing for in your life right now and for the new year? What word would help you strive to be more Christlike this year?
Last January my words were “joy and contentment.” The last few months my word has been “discipline.” God has been working hard in my life to keep me focused on these “themes.”
When we slow down and recognize all that God has done in our lives it becomes clear how present He has been.
3. Make a list of all you have accomplished this year in your personal, spiritual, and professional life. It’s easy to get caught up in what we have yet to accomplish and forget all that the Lord has already done. Take some time to journal and talk with God about what has happened in the past year.
Some questions to consider are: What are you thankful for in the past year? Where did you see God at work in your life or the lives of others? What prayers have been answered? What prayers are you still waiting on? How has your faith grown? What are you proud of accomplishing this year? What are some words you can use to describe your year overall?
Be kind to yourself when you are reflecting. You are doing so much better at this whole “life” thing than you think. When we slow down and recognize all that God has done in our lives it becomes clear how present He has been.
I know it might be hard at first to see God in everything. If you are having a hard time coming up with a list, try listing some positive things that have happened this year. Talk to God about how hard it is to see Him at work so He can draw you closer and show you how much He has been part of your life this past year.
The new year is a great time to reflect on all that the Lord has done in our lives in the past year.
4. How can you learn from all that has happened in the past year? Instead of, “Why did these bad things happening to me?” we can ask, “What can God teach me through this situation?” When our focus shifts from the challenges we face to the God who has it all under control, amazing things happen.
Maybe the words you have to describe this year are all negative. We’ve all had bad days, bad years or bad seasons, and I’m so sorry if this year was a painful time for you. Try asking God how you can learn from this hard year. How can God use this situation to get closer to you? How has He redeemed other struggles in your life?
5. Talk to friends and family about the year. Meet a friend for coffee and tell them how thankful you are for them this year, how you have seen the Lord working in their life, and some memories you made with them in the past year. Sharing new year’s reflections in community is a great way to remind ourselves we aren’t in this alone. The people closest to us might have some amazing reflections on your past year that you didn’t see.
The new year is a great time to reflect on all that the Lord has done in our lives in the past year. I pray that God reveals to you all of the amazing things you have accomplished this year. Celebrate the victories and share the sorrows with Him. Your Heavenly Father wants to be part of it all.
How do you get ready for the new year? How do you include the Lord in your resolutions?
Peace and blessings,
Shaina
