Happy New Year
For the past several years I’ve chosen a word as my focus for the new year. It was much easier for me to do that than to make resolutions. The easiest thing would be to not do anything; to treat the new year as a simple continuation of the previous. I’ve always loved Barry Manilow’s song, “It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve.” The sentiment is rather calming. It holds no pressure or anxiety toward the changing of the calendar.
Unfortunately, that’s not me.
I like to plan. I need to have a plan. There’s no way I can enter into a brand new year without first speaking my intentions, planning and plotting, and creating an impossible to-do list.
The past few weeks I’ve looked forward to the newness, the fresh start that was approaching. I carefully and meticulously researched all of the things I would accomplish (or, at least, attempt) in 2025. Some “things” I even started before the ball dropped.
Of course, there’s all of the standard needs to change about myself: lose weight, eat healthy, exercise, get organized, get rid of stuff, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. These are the things I pursue the first two weeks of January so I can at least say that I tried.
As far as my one word for the year, there was a hiccup in the plan. The only word that came to mind was “renew.” Renew aligns with the typical resolutions I listed above, but I didn’t see how that could carry me through the entire year. I prayed about it, but didn’t feel that God was answering. Then, there were several days of multiple words and I wondered if they created a path that could be explored throughout 2025. I couldn’t see that working either.
As the hours ticked away on the last day of 2024, it became clear that all of my efforts to plan for (aka “control”) the future, all of my prayers asking God for one single word to define the approaching year, were just that: my efforts, my plans, me, me, me. It’s what I wanted. It’s what I needed. The signs that I thought were from God, were coming from within me, and perhaps, were somewhat orchestrated by the enemy.
The one sign by Him was literally a sign that I purchased a few days ago from the dollar store. It says, “God’s still writing your story. Quit trying to take away the pen.”
The second sign came during a moment of quiet stillness. I remembered something that God wanted me to do, and I had the nerve to tell Him “no.” I told Him that I couldn’t/wouldn’t do that and therefore if it was really, truly from Him, then He could work through someone else to let me know for certain.
By the time He told me through a friend, I’d conveniently forgotten our conversation, even though it was less than a week later. In my time of quiet prayer and meditation, I prayed for an answer as to why He was making this so difficult. Nothing. So I went back to my prayer, asking for a 2025 word, and He obliged: “disobedient.” I was immediately filled with guilt and shame. How could I have been so flagrantly disobedient? And, how could I have forgotten about it?
I repented immediately. I don’t know if I still need to do the thing, but, I feel like the answer is “no.” I believe we’ve moved on to an alternate route, a detour which will lead to the same destination, but will take longer and be more difficult.
I’m ready for that journey.
Late yesterday, after the lesson of disobedience, God did leave me with two words to focus on for 2025: “God’s will.”
I’ll be checking in with God more frequently throughout this new year. I began this morning, this new year with a prayer, asking Him for guidance, and here we are.
Happy New Year!
– May this year be filled with blessings for you, your family, and your loved ones.
– May we remember to give thanks, praising God for His goodness, grace, and mercy.
– May we do everything as if we’re doing it for Him.
– May we love one another and unite the Church.
– May we be God’s light in a darkened world.
– May we pray without ceasing.
