Monday, January 1, 2024

Happy New Year!

2024 is upon us. It feels like there are unlimited possibilities and exciting adventures awaiting us. However, we cannot fully welcome in the new year without reflecting on the previous year. There is something special about beginning a new year but something equally significant in reflecting on the year that just ended.

Years ago, I began the practice of a year-end review. At the end of December, I would head over to a local coffee shop with my Bible and a journal. I look over the goals I had for the previous year, contemplate the ways I had grown, and look forward to the new year. I take the time to think of areas where I need to grow, books I’d like to read, projects I would like to accomplish, and I choose my word for the year. Past words have included abide, selah, and content. Then I find a passage in the Bible that embraces that theme to commit to memory.

This coming year the word cultivate keeps coming to mind. Cultivate means “to prepare and work on, promote growth, to devote oneself.” As I reflect on where I am in my life, I realize that there are areas of my life that I want to develop and improve. There are skills I would like to have, relationships I want to grow, and a faith I want to deepen.

Reflection is not something that comes easy in our fast-paced society. However, there is something sacred in allowing ourselves the gift of reflection. When we think about what is happening in our hearts, we can see where and how God is moving.

Proverbs 27:19
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

There is value in the pause. The time we allow to quiet our souls gives God the opportunity to speak. When we stop focusing so much on what is next and reflect on where we have been—we can see that we are growing, where God is working in our lives, and areas where we need to improve. The time doesn’t have to be long but it should be intentional. Allow yourself time to be still, turn off the outside noises and listen. This practice will be challenging, but it is worth the effort. You will find yourself refreshed with new hope for the coming year.

Questions:
Have you ever taken time for a year-end review? What is stopping you?

Next Steps:
Set aside an hour or two this week to reflect on the past year and the year to come. Give yourself time to celebrate the wins and grieve the losses.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of stillness. Thank you for coming to us in the midst of our busyness to speak to us. Help me still my mind so I can truly listen to your voice. Guide my steps as I enter into this new year. Help me see where I need to grow and areas where I need to let go. Thank you for your grace. Amen.

This post was written by Julie Mabus, a regular contributor of the LivingItOut.