New Year Renewals



With 2020 coming to a close, it’s almost time for the New Year celebration. This year's celebration was probably be a little different for most. With the pandemic still in effect, there were fewer big gatherings. We didn't see thousands of people gathered in Times Square counting down to 2021 as usual. The new year came in with a reminder of what we went through during the passing year. Still, with the coming of a new year, as always, we look forward to the potential for change. We hope to be able to put away the problems that have plagued us in hopes of embracing something better.


Of course, we all know that problems don’t just disappear automatically. It takes work to make things better. That’s why people make resolutions. They identify problems that need to be fixed or areas in their lives they feel need to be improved and resolve to put in the work needed to accomplish those goals. Resolutions can require a large commitment depending on what a person wants to change, and when people bite off more than they can chew, those resolutions often go unfulfilled.


We all want to make the big changes, but sometimes it’s wiser to choose something more reasonable, or maybe the changes isn’t what we need at all. Sometimes a renewal is the best thing for us. Looking at the shape of the world, we can all see things that we believe need to be fixed. It will take time to do that. In the meantime, it might be helpful to look at the things that are going right in our lives, and strive to renew those things. It would essentially be an exercise in positivity, but it could also be helpful, particularly when we focus our renewal on God.


As Christians, the best part of our lives should be our relationships with God. When we accepted Jesus as our savior, we formed a bond with him that is built to last. It might be stressed and strained from time to time, but God never gives up on us. As long as we make an effort to include God in our lives, he will make an effort to keep us moving in a positive direction. David understood that fact.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. - Psalm 51:10
David called out for a renewal of his relationship with God and a restoration of the joy that came with it. That is exactly what most of us need right now. We are leaving a year full of stresses and strains behind us. We need to find some peace and joy. God can provide both of those if only we make the effort to cling to him. Why not look to him for renewal? After all, it’s already something he gave us once when he sent us his Holy Spirit.
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior - Titus 3:5
2021 can be more of the same, or it can be a start to something newer and better. If anyone is unsure which path is which, the answer is clear. If you want something new for the coming year, you should look to the oldest relationship in your life; the one that existed before you were born. The right path is the one that begins and ends with God. If you’re unsure where you stand with Him, make sure to renew that relationship as you go into the new year.

Chris Lawyer
Image Courtesy of www.newyearwiki.com


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