17 Jan New Beginnings 2022
Is there such a thing as an old beginning? Are not all beginnings new?
However, we might have to look at the way we start new beginnings.
What topic would suit this January better than the chosen one “new beginnings”. All around the world people must make new beginnings. Especially when we pay attention to the people affected by catastrophes, whether it was flooding, tornados, forest fires, hurricanes, volcano disaster, earthquakes, or the pandemic loss. It seems like no other year in history has brought so many heart-breaking challenges like 2021.
Why does God let this happen we ask? It is easy to blame God when the earth and our life are out of balance. We easily point our finger at something, while we often don’t see the three fingers pointing back at us. Everything starts with checking ourselves. Blaming doesn’t get us very far. Situations and circumstances might leave us with anger deep down in our heart. Take this scripture as a motto for your life from here on out, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26)
You may find yourself in an unbelievable, inconceivable, unbearable, or even no way-out situation. There is a new beginning for you. Take heart. The One who created you knows and sees everything.
God has already shown us how to start new all over when he decided to send his Son, Jesus Christ, after he repented that he even created us. He gave us a way to be reconciled with him. “Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) That’s why it is written in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” I found out that it is best to start new beginnings with prayer. That’s why we need the Word. There are many prayers in God’s Word. Let’s look at some of them.
Forgiveness is the key to unlock what God has planned for your life this year. Pray the Lord’s prayer with me …Father, who art in heaven…. (Matthew 6:9-13) and you will see God hears you. Tell him honestly about your desires, hopes, joy, wishes, doubts, letting go, fear of change, tension, fear of rejection, giving up, letting go and your readiness. Through his grace and love God has the desire that you come to him. Jesus promised in John 6:35 that whoever will come to Him will not be rejected. The best thing is to ask God for forgiveness even for something you might not be aware of the need to be forgiven. God can bring anything to our attention if we ask him.
The Bible says in Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; Seek and you shall find.” We also see in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Our whole thinking and prayer changes when we come with a thankful heart.
Also pray the prayer of Jabez found in 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10. Jabez called on the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory. Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
To pray out loud so you can hear your own voice is very important and to be ready for the spiritual battle which is not against flesh and blood. (Ephesians 6:12) Ask the Lord Jesus Christ for the whole armor.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground, after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
Finally, we pray with an attitude like Luke 18:13. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God have mercy on me, a sinner.’” Even if we do not identify ourselves with the tax collector we still sin and need to be forgiven.
This sounds like a recipe for your new beginning, but it is just a small reminder for all of us here on earth. God reached out to us and made a New Beginning for us here on earth to be finished in heaven. Here is our pursuit of perfection until he calls us home or he is coming and to take us home.
THE AUTHOR
Claudia Rosson
My name is Claudia Rosson, wife to Rev Tom Rosson and mother to 3 grown children. I live and work for the Lord at the Church of God European Theological Seminary in Germany in the Black Forest which is not far from where I grew up.