It’s a New Year
Something special happens when we enter into a new year. There’s this level of motivation that gets us to do things that perhaps we weren’t really doing as much toward the latter part of the previous year. There’s a desire to start fresh. To leave everything we didn’t like in the year before - and move ahead - with a clean slate. It’s not an uncommon thing. Many people desire to do better - and to do better - well. We create our goals for the year; the prayer points that will carry us through; and, sometimes, even “a word for the year”.
I think it’s great. In fact, I’m often in the camp where the new goal list comes out, the decluttering process is in full effect and the prayers are jotted down. But, this year, I can’t help but think about why we feel like all of this has to happen at designated points of the year. I get the opportunities that lie ahead in the “new” - but what if - what if we decided that a “new” day meant that we could do those same very things at any point. What if we decided that the heavy things of yesterday didn’t need to follow us into the next day. If we could just leave the baggage of the previous day exactly where it was - yesterday. If our old habits could just remain…old and we could begin breaking away from them the minute we decide that we’re no longer doing that thing (or those things) any more. Those aren’t things we have to wish for - or things that aren’t readily available to us. Every single day we have an opportunity to lay our burdens at the feet of Jesus, because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) Sometimes those burdens are big, sometimes they are small; but, whatever it is (or they are), we don’t need to carry it. We don’t have to be weighed down by those things…and we can choose to start moving in a different direction at any given point. Yes, sometimes it’s “easier said than done” - but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It’s a surrendering. A relinquishing. A divorcing of the “old” and an embracing of the “new”. The “new” doesn’t alway have to be uncomfortable, either. It can come with peace. It can come with ease. It can come with joy. Our perspective and our mindset really do make a huge difference.
And so, this year (2024), as we all look ahead…let’s treat each day as it is. A new day. Another opportunity - 24 hours - to start “new”. Let’s celebrate the “new” day and understand that we don’t have to wait for another countdown to begin afresh. We don’t have to wait for the ball to drop or the bell to ring for us to feel like change is allowed to play itself out in our lives. We can start today. Although I am writing this at the top of the year…no matter what day/month you happen to read this…you can start “new”.
I haven’t done any research to determine whether or not I’m coining a new acronym with this, but let’s get into the “question of the blog” (QOTB).
QOTB: What’s something new that you can do today? Something you can decide to change? Something you can choose to let go and/or pick up?
That was more than one question…but you get the drift.
-kbg
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