We all know what the main topic of conversation is this time of year. How many times have you heard it? The calendar flips over to a new year and that seems to mean there needs to be a start to the “new you.” Everyone has been thinking, planning, and waiting until January to be better, start fresh, and try harder.
Typically, you have people finding they need to cut things out — bad habits, television, junk food, social media. Some people want to add things in — more reading, more working out, more family time, more gratitude. People want to look better, feel better, and be more successful.
Social media posts and friends and family are all asking the same questions: What are your resolutions for this year? What are you going to change? What are you going to make better? What are you going to stop doing? What are you going to work harder on?
So I have found myself thinking — or maybe overthinking — about my own plans, goals, resolutions for the new year. Should I be adding in good things? Should I be cutting out bad things? I need more of the good and could always use less of the bad. I see plenty of room for improvement and my track record for resolutions is less than consistent. The list for a new me just gets longer and longer. I see the self-induced stress and disappointment adding up already. Who can keep all of this up? It’s overwhelming! No wonder people aren’t talking about how resolutions are going a month or two into the year.
Do you ever just want to avoid this topic of conversation? All this added pressure just because the calendar shows January? When you hear questions about new year’s resolutions for the hundredth time, do you feel like answering, “I don’t have any!”? Nothing, none, zilch, zero. No resolution, no new big thing, no new me.
No more pressure is needed right now.
Resolutions and goals have their rightful place, but right now, you might just need to get through this season, to get through the week, to hang on another day. You are working hard trying to get through each day all the while being the best God made you to be.
If that is the season you are in, you are not alone. If you feel like this whole resolution thing is just a big fail for you, you are not alone. Not everyone is feeling the big, lofty goals. Not everyone is into the splashy “in” resolutions of the year. Do not feel guilty for not jumping on board with all the excitement this time around. And if this is where you’re at today, I have the best news for you: Don’t worry. Have hope. You and I can take this day by day!
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
Lamentations 3:21-24 (ESV)
This is what the Lord does for us — new mercies every morning!
Each and every day, we can have the abundant mercy, love, and faithfulness of God. His mercies will never come to an end. They will not run out. They do not expire. And thankfully, they aren’t based on how good we are doing. After each misstep, flub, mistake and fail, there He is with mercy and love and grace. We don’t have to quit; we can try again tomorrow. And again the next day. And again the day after that if we need.
We can count on His mercy to get us through the day’s troubles. And if we barely make it through a day, if it leaves us discouraged and broken, we have hope that He will meet us tomorrow with an outpouring of love, compassion, and faithfulness.
God just keeps showing up. He forgives us over and over, loving us no matter our behavior, with never-ending mercies.
God is our portion. He is our fresh start. He is the hope we cling to.
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It’s a beautiful thing to come to realization that our Lord our Father meets us every morning with the renewal of our minds. He meets us right where we are and not for one second our we ever left on our own thank you Jesus
It sure is a beautiful thing, Dova! So, so grateful. New Year’s blessings to you!
Thank you. This is exactly the message I needed to hear today. I was feeling the pressure to identify resolutions or my shoulder for the new year. I am taking a pause…and will wait for the Lord to whisper his plan for me.
That sounds like a beautiful plan, Rachelle. No pressure! Many New Year’s blessings to you!
I have never made a New Year’s resolution. I figure if something needs to change, do it. No need to wait for an arbitrary date of January 1st. I have never been able to understand the hype either. I suspect the folks selling diet food plans, exercise equipment, gym memberships have decided it is a great way to have us doubt ourselves and make money. Happy New Year. You are perfect just the way you are!
Yes and amen to that, Madeline! Couldn’t agree more. Thank you for being here today and Happy New Year!
I picked a word…QUIET…..so there’s room in my brain for God. Trust that he has this and protects me and all my people.
Such a beautiful and peaceful word! Thank you for being here in this new year, kimmieg!
Jennifer,
I made some a simple resolution to get in better shape. No big deal or stress. Just telling myself to exercise more & eat healthier. I know I will feel much better & have more energy. Aside from that no others except to be more Christ like. One thing I constantly remind myself of is that if I mess up or sin (accidentally of course) God will forgive me when I ask. He will pour out His love & grace on me daily. I want to be that kind of person to this sinful world. Graciously loving everyone no matter what. Here’s to a great 2022. We have a great hope that God will meet us daily with outpourings of love, grace & compassion.
Happy New Year everyone! I pray it is better than the last two have been.
Blessings 🙂
So happy to see you here in this new year, Beth! Grateful for His daily love and grace. So grateful. I will join you in prayer that this year is a better one! xox
Jennifer I never made a resolution. For simply the fact I know I wouldn’t keep it. I don’t need too make any. I listen to Jesus he tell me each day what I need to do. I listen to his word and say my prayers. I hear the word of Jesus. Being the best resolution. Telling me best what I need to do for my life. To make it pleasing on to him. Not man. Man says now you got to this look like this to get this way. You got to go on this diet or something like that. They promise you the earth. That if you do as they say you will loose weight. Join this slimming club or drink this shake every day. Look good for yourself and others. It doesn’t happen. You end up spending the money on the Slimming drinks. Or going to Slimming club. You say in the end why did I waist my money on that. It didn’t work. It not what man says or thinks that matters. Only what God says about you. Man pushes you to look a certain way. You do get into your head you have to do it as your New year’s resolution. To get the pounds of that you think you need of. From all you eaten since Christmas etc. That you get into your head that you shouldn’t have eaten. You begin to feel guilty for doing it. Then you might feel have to go to gym. They tell you what to do get the weight you put on from what you think was over eating over Christmas etc. But you know what. Most of it a money racket to get you spend your money on theses things. Some work. Some don’t. When all you need to is cut out the extra eating. Eat your three square meals. Breakfast lunch and Dinner. Just eat smaller than you have but enough to do you. With all the vitamins minerals and fibre you need for each day. Drinking plenty of water too. But don’t deny yourself the odd treat but don’t go over board on the treats. Doing some walking. If can walk. Wrap up well in the cold weather and you should feel lots better. As that is what God showed me. Praying not to be tempted to go back into the old ways. It saves you wasting your money. When go shopping as God said only buy the food you need. One thing for your treat. To have say at the weekend. With God’s help I was able to do it. As I found not for the diet as was not going on one. For all the salt and sugar I used to add to food. Now since asking God to help me. I don’t add salt to alot of food only potatoes when cooking or something like that. Or sugar to coffee. I got my Husband to do the same. As we used to add it to our food the salt and the sugar to coffee now we don’t think about it. Only buy what food we need. We buy food with less sugar and salt in it. As there is enough food salt and sugar in food if you look at the ingredients in it. We find we don’t need. Now we can do without. Now we don’t think about it. Jennifer thank you for what you shared. Love it. Love you all incourage. In my prayers. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Thank you for being here and sharing this today, Dawn. Really great, practical advise… that works! Of course with His help along the way. Many New Year’s blessing to you! xo
Thank you so much for sharing this. We received some devastating news this weekend involving our daughter, and I am heartbroken yet I have to remain strong for her when all I want to do is curl up in bed. I pray that God will give me eyes of faith to see His new mercies tomorrow.