Happy New Year!
I don’t know about you, but I have always loved the hope that fills my soul on January 1. Down here in the south, we spend the day eating greens, peas, and good old-fashioned cornbread. What a way to start that dieting resolution, right? I don’t eat it for luck or wealth, but you best believe if my grandmother or momma cooks it for me, I’m going to eat it.
But another reason the 1st is so encouraging is that it is a blank slate. Page 1 of 365. And, like some, that excitement alone makes me pull out my planner and start preparing for the year ahead. I usually start by writing down our family’s birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates. But even after those days are marked, there are still many “empty” days with the prospect of exciting things to come.
So, what do we do with those blank days?
Many individuals see them as an opportunity to make “resolutions” or set goals. Among those exciting lists are usually things like losing weight, getting in shape, eating better, saving money, reading the Bible more, spending more time with our loved ones, and even relaxing.
But undoubtedly, as the days (not even months) tread on, that exciting hope found on the first of the year seems to dwindle, and “resolutions” are forgotten. Honestly, I’m writing this blog on the 5th day of the year, and I’ve already skipped days of exercise. There is no good excuse, but here I am!
If I didn’t care about my New Year’s goals, I could give up. I could throw my hands up in the air and quit. After all, that is what most do.
According to an article by New York Post, “it takes just 32 days for the average person to finally break their resolution(s) – but 68% report giving up their resolutions even sooner than that.”
There is a plethora of reasons that people stop. Some attribute it to being busy, while others lack discipline. But whatever the case, most people don’t make it a month doing anything perfectly. I mean, hey, I didn’t!
But I have another theory about why so many give up on their goals early in the year. I think it is because they don’t know how to grasp one of the most essential things in life – grace.
As believers, we know that we are forgiven in light of the cross. Every sin is washed away. But so is every mistake. And in terms of resolutions, that mistake could be eating ice cream instead of a salad. Was it spending more than you’d planned? Did you forget to read your daily Bible passage? Whatever the case may be, His mercies are new.
For a very long time, I struggled with the concept of grace. Even though I had gone to church for years, I never quite grasped His forgiveness. In theory, it was pretty easy to understand what the preachers always preached. But in reality? I never could get why or how a perfect Savior could or would love a dirty sinner like me.
Then one day, a mentor reminded me of Lamentations 3:22-23,
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Again, I had heard this verse my whole life. But what she said next really blew my mind.
“Hannah, that verse tells us that at 12:00 a.m. every morning, He is ready to grant us new mercy!”
As most of us lie sleeping, He is already giving us grace. So why can’t we grant it to ourselves?
Issues are going to arise this year. Unexpected, potentially heart-wrenching things are going to cause us to lose focus. We’re going to make mistakes. And you best believe we will be busy! So instead of getting frazzled when our day[s] go awry, let us remember that there is grace. Perfect, spotless, heaven-sent grace.
I hope 2025 is fruitful for you and your family. But remember, January 1 isn’t our only blank slate! Tie up those tennis shoes and hit the ground running. It’s a new day!
