A Prayer to Embrace the New Year with Hope - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - December 13, 2024
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
As we close out another year, it may trigger a wide range of emotions or leave you pondering the past with bittersweet reflection. So, let me start with a question: How has God moved in your life this past year? This is followed quickly by another question: How do you anticipate God moving in your life this coming year?
While we may want to relive the joys or fan away the sorrows, we must hold tightly to the precious promise that our God is faithful and always with us (Matthew 28:20).
Time and time again, throughout Scripture, we see how God shows up, often unannounced, leading and guiding His people, delivering them from the vast wilderness, extending His mighty hand for miraculous transformation, and always creating something new. The best part is that the “newness” God brings is like a gift wrapped in sweet redemption.
As you look back and recall all the ways God showed up this year, be sure to take notice of the times He steered you in a certain direction, maybe leading you from the wastelands. Consider the moments He brought unexplainable comfort and peace or grew you spiritually. Maybe you have witnessed a gradual (or not-so-gradual) transformation in yourself or a dear loved one that was only done by the work of the Father’s hand. In those encounters, did you welcome and receive God’s gift of faithfulness? What about His grace?
While we all occasionally pause and reflect on our past, unfortunately, we can become so fixated or stuck in what “has been” that it hinders us from what “could be.” Before we know it, the past begins to haunt us, leading us to believe we can’t receive God’s grace, that we must somehow gain control or no relief will ever come amid our pain.
Yet, God tells us in Isaiah 43:18 not to dwell on the past. There is actually nothing we gain by solely focusing on it. In fact, living in the past will only steal our ability to live this life abundantly as God calls us to (John 10:10). However, when we shift our gaze and set our eyes on what lies ahead, there is an invitation for us to let go of the burdens and heaviness that may be weighing us down. Through real and honest confession and a repentant heart, we can take a step forward into this new year with hope.
Just as God reminded the Israelites to stop worrying about the past because He was making a new way for them, He does the same for us today. We have this beautiful opportunity to step into the new year with hope knowing God is paving the way and will always create something new.
Dear sister, will you allow the reflections of this past year to prompt you to eagerly await what God will do next in your life? Furthermore, will you let those ponderings give you the means to move forward with hope?
Let's pray:
Faithful Father,
Thank you for the promises You give us in Your Word that proclaim love, righteousness, compassion, and faithfulness encompass the very essence of Your divine nature. You are a God who is not defined by the past, present, or future, as You are omniscient and omnipresent, knowing all things in every infinite detail of space and time. You are the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. You alone are God, and we honor and praise Your Holy name.
Lord, please forgive us when we fail to recognize the magnitude of Your mighty works and the depths of Your love. The great lengths You will go to call us back into Your loving arms and Your willingness to continue to extend Your mercy and grace when we don’t deserve it. When I find that I am reliving my past, stuck, or unable to move forward, grant me the strength to look ahead and trust You to take a step forward.
With each new year, You give us the space to start anew. So, today, I lay all my burdens at Your feet. Cleanse my heart, purify my soul, and renew my faith. Grow, change, and challenge me. Let my weakness be a source of Your undeniable strength. This year, help me step out in faith and be your humble servant. I ask this in Your precious name. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©CarlosDavid.org
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
