With the new year comes a lot of reflecting and resolutions, but how often do we rely on a “fresh start” to actually take action and make the changes we wish to see? The idea of the new year bringing about shifts in mindsets and an abundance of new opportunities, although comforting, isn’t necessarily feasible. The fact is, January 1st, 2021 is just another day that you woke up – still the same person, but possibly with different intentions. I don’t want to discredit the new year as a time to plan to become the person you want to be, but I want to remind you that the proactiveness, determination, and consistency you start 2021 off with is in you and available to you year-round. It was and has been, even before the clock struck twelve on the first of the year.
Speaking from personal experience, one thing I noticed is that often our goals for the new year tend to repeat themselves. Despite life-changing throughout the years and progress being made, I’ve had similar goals for at least the past two years when it came to New Year’s Resolutions. A part of that comes from the concept that I usually rely on at the beginning of the year, assuming that because we’re in a different year, I am going to magically gain the consistency and discipline I lacked to complete my goals the previous year. Oftentimes, it’s not that I didn’t try hard enough or that my goals changed, but I noticed that I lacked the faith I needed to accomplish certain goals. Faith without works is dead, but what are works without faith?
Because we live in an individualistic culture where, more often than not, we have to fend for ourselves, there exists a notion that we have to do things ourselves as well. We don’t trust God, or the people around us enough to encourage us and get us through our trials and to our goals. No matter how much we feel like we have accomplished on our own, we wouldn’t be anywhere without the resources, guidance, and protection of God. He offers us a renewed mind, a second chance, and a new life.
Every December, as the year comes to a close, we sit down, pull out our journals, and really reflect on the progress or lack thereof we’ve made. After times of reflection, we get inspired to make changes and do better for ourselves. We write down or at least think to ourselves, some of the changes we could or should make, but we don’t ask God for His help. In 2021, I encourage you to include God in your goals. He wants to partner with you to bring you everything that you ask for and more, but you have to be willing to trust Him with your successes and even with your failures. I also encourage you not to sit back and wait for your goals to accomplish themselves, but rather, make a concerted effort, with God leading you, not you leaning on your own wisdom and foresight, to be better and pursue any and every opportunity God places in your life to move you toward the faith-filled person you desire to be. Remember, that you don’t need a whole year to go by to cultivate or inspire change. All we have is the present moment. Tomorrow is not promised, so start today. Start exactly where you are. Start where you can.
