A Better Way to Enter the New Year

Congratulations, you made it to 2022! Some of you out there might have thought 2020 would never end, but here you are, two years later, with more than your fair share of stories and battle scars. Even with all the craziness in the world, beginning a new year brings me great joy. It holds the hope of a new season. But it also holds a lot of undue pressure. Does anything here sound like you?

“Starting this year, I will go to the gym X amount of times, eat only healthy food, read one book a week, learn that language, practice that instrument collecting dust…” The list goes on.

The pressure we feel regarding these aspirations can mount up on us like a massive burden. When that happens all our peace and joy regarding the future is gone and our present, instead of being full of promise, feels and looks much more like a prison than the abundant life Jesus claimed was ours in him (John 10:10).

I’ve spoken with a few different people this season about the pressures we can start to feel this time of year. As I’ve begun pushing my way out of a mental prison that I let myself sink into, I wanted to share what has helped me. I hope it helps you too.

First let me start off by saying this is not always an instant process. That said, I started by being as honest as I could about pressures and emotions I felt. Try to remember, shame and fear are the devil’s games, not Christ’s. So as we bring our pressures and emotions before God, remember how much he loves you. Do this in prayer as many times as you need to. If we trust him to take what we bring him, I promise you, He will. And He will start to open our eyes to enjoy each moment instead of worrying through them. We can so easily lose sight of those words in that verse “I (Jesus) have come to give..” (John 10:10). This means the joy doesn’t come from the abundant life, the joy is always found in him. As Psalm 84:12 (CEB) says “ happy is he who trusts in the Lord.”

Let’s allow Him comfort our hearts today as we lift them to Him. He will help us see the promise in the future and beauty in the present moments, not the strain of the pressure or potential disaster. We are called to be people who lean into the life God is giving us right now. There is a hope for a brighter future for us as we bring all the pressures, struggles, fears or worries to him. He can take these off of us and give us peace in exchange (Philippians 4:6-7).

After all, that’s the point of Jesus isn’t it? He took on the being of a person, just to take on our sins so they were off of us. Throw off the burden, take on the peace.

So Happy New year and Merry (belated) Christmas! The Lord is with you, friend. My prayer is that we all lean into that reality more this year!