Photo | Courtesy Photo.
(Patheos) – As the calendar turns over to another year, most people start thinking about what they did or didn’t do the past year, and what they would like for the new year to bring. Some people make resolutions or goals, others might just spend some time in prayerful mediation. Whatever your personal new year habits might be, the Bible is the best source for guidance and wisdom. Here are some verses that can help you get started with the new year – or with any new beginning in your life.
Luke 2:10-11 (ESV) “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Yes, this is a verse from the Christmas story – but what better example of a new beginning is there than the birth of Jesus? A Savior who came to give us good news and great joy – meditating on these things can help you put things in perspective as you enter a new year or a new phase of life.
Isaiah 60:20 (ESV) “Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.”
The entire chapter of Isaiah 60 to me is about new beginnings and making the new better than the old. I picked this particular verse, though, because of the emphasis on the Lord as our light and an end to days of mourning. Whether you’re wanting to move past a year that was filled with tragedy or hardship, or you just want this coming year to be better than the last one, every verse of Isaiah 60 speaks to promotion and new beginnings.
Revelation 21:5 (ESV) “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”
God makes everything new. This simple thought is one of the most profound, and can carry you through any change: God is always on the throne, and He is always making all things new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
This verse reminds us that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins, then we are no longer what we once were. It’s true that bad things happen even to believers, and we all still make mistakes – but we don’t have to live with the permanent spiritual consequences of those things. Jesus has made all things new for us.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 (ESV) “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.”
This verse is not intended as justification for any careless decision that we make. But it does speak about God’s love for us and His desire for us to enjoy ourselves. If you’ve made a new year’s resolution or life decision in prayer and in keeping with God’s Word, then according to this verse, you now have permission to relax and enjoy the results of your new decision.
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV) “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Sometimes a new year or a new beginning may not arrive with feelings of joy or excitement. But this verse is an important reminder that we can come to God with any need, and we will receive His help. If you’re facing a difficult decision or an uncomfortable transition, come boldly to God’s throne and receive His grace and love.
Romans 12:2 (ESV) “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
This is one of my favorite verses for a new beginning. It speaks of God’s perfect will for our lives, but it is also a call to action on our parts. Our spirits have been transformed by Jesus when we confess Him as Savior, but it’s up to us to renew our earthly minds and to listen to God so that we can discern His will. Renewing the mind is a constant process, but one with great rewards. Any major life change or new habit requires a new process of thinking, and renewing our minds to God’s will is the way to achieve this.
Whatever new beginning you might be facing, my prayer is that these seven verses may speak to your need and give you a starting point for seeking God in this time of transition.
Article First Appeared Here
