Right now, you can decide what the next year will hold. As we begin a new year, ask yourself, “Who will you be this year?” Will you be the same person you were last year, or will this year be the one where you finally embark on a journey to draw closer to God no matter what it takes? Only you can decide what the next 365 days will hold for your spiritual life.
I’m not talking about emotion or anything metaphysical. I’m talking about your relationship with Jesus Christ. You know exactly who He is, the unchanging, all-powerful, all-loving, risen, and returning Son of God. The question is, who will you be this year? Today can be the first day of an intense journey into oneness with Christ.
Will this be the year you turn off the television or switch off your phone and go to bed early enough to carve out early morning time with God in prayer, worship, and study of His Word? How many times have you determined to do that only to see your promises fade by February? This year can be different, but only if you are finally serious about Jesus. We both know the games we’ve been playing with our faith. We can talk the talk, but how is our walk? Is Christ truly the Lord of our lives? That He is Lord, there can be no doubt. The question is, have we surrendered to that Lordship? Will this finally be the year we bow broken before Him? Who will you be this year?
What will it take for you to grow spiritually this year? Is this the year you read His Word through in its entirety for the first time? Have you finally had it with mediocrity and will now determine to dedicate yourself to slowly soaking in His Word if even only making it through a few verses each day? Perhaps it’s finally time for you to memorize and hide His Word in your heart. We cannot know God if we do not read and study His Word. We cannot draw closer to Him if we don’t spend time with Him.
How will you feel on December 31st if you can look back and know that you spent the first hours of every day last year in prayer with our beautiful and Holy Creator? Imagine the effect that would that have on your life. What if you invest a portion of every dollar you earn in the upcoming year in His Kingdom instead of spending it on entertaining yourself? What if we loved more, sinned less, gave more generously, and thought more of others than ourselves? Would that be pleasing to God? How might you impact the world if only you would dedicate the next year to Him instead of all the useless things you spent pursuing last year?
We have a unique opportunity before us. Right now we can change the trajectory of not only our life on earth, but our life in eternity. But this moment will soon pass. Right now, perhaps you feel something stirring inside you and it is fueling a new determination in your heart. The time to decide is now. The emotion you feel won’t be enough to change your life, but it will provide the spark you need to surrender everything to Christ.
You can make this decision any day of the year, but what better time than right now with a brand new year laid out before you, unstained, and not yet sullied with disappointment or broken promises? Who will you be this year? Your first move is to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, humbly admit you can’t be who He wants you to be in your strength alone, and surrender everything to Him once and for all. Put God first and begin practicing some spiritual disciplines to feed your soul each day. This can be the year everything changes for you. Jesus is patiently waiting, longing to see you finally surrender to all He has for you. Will you do it? Will you surrender to His Lordship? Who will you be this year?