“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” —Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
Every January 1st brings with it new hope for a fresh start. There is an automatic mind renewal, a reprogramming of some sort, a recommitment to who we are. My days leading up to the new year were mostly spent in quiet conversations with God, communion with the Holy Spirit, and thanksgiving for the sacrifice Jesus made that leads to salvation once we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. In those quiet moments, God reminded me of the foundation I stood on when I accepted Christ because, in all honesty, I had become misaligned from my purpose. I only knew that I was feeling out of sorts but could not put my finger on what caused this feeling. If you ‘follow’ me on social media, you would have seen me share my usual verse for the week; what I had not shared was a preceding verse that I believe will resonate with many of us. “…I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Revelation 3:1 NLT
Can you identify? Many times we do the things that we believe God wants us to do; we pray, we give to others, and more, but is it with the passion and purpose we felt previously or has it become mechanical, devoid of joy. Do you feel a sense of fulfillment each night you place your head on your pillow? Are you at peace? If you responded no, then you are misaligned.
When we become misaligned, others see us as alive, but we know we are dead on the inside. Are we distracted because of the uncertainty around us? Are we fearful of the future? Many of our everyday encounters will leave us uninspired, and so we find ourselves going through the motions? Our motives askew because of comparison and trying to be like someone else or living up to the world’s expectations.
The call I got and am sharing with you is to go back to basics, to remember YOU and your WHY. Let us take hold of this fresh start given to us, and let us renew our mind in Christ. It is okay to let it all go for a minute because things will not fall apart; instead, you may experience things coming together. I want you to know that it is okay to begin again; what is not okay is living a certain wrong way when you can simply push the restart button. To start again is not a sign of weakness or admittance of failure, but a sign of wisdom, a gift of the Holy Spirit that you and I should have. A gift that keeps us on the path that makes the most sense for all of us.
May I leave this encouragement with you—if you are feeling out of sorts, assess your circumstances and grab hold of this fresh start if you need it. It is nonsensical for Christians to be living contrary to God’s divine plan for their lives; no Christian should be in a lukewarm place—all that we do should be on fire for God and all that he has called us to do.
A fresh start; it is for all of us.
| Here 6 Bible verses that will refresh you. |
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I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. – Jeremiah 31:25 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:10 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. – Acts 3:19 Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old…Lamentations 5:21 |
Continued love & amazing light.
