All Things New

As another new year begins, our thoughts frequently fill with ideas of how we can improve ourselves or make our living situation better in the upcoming year. Have you made any new year’s resolutions yet?

These resolutions are so easy to make, but also so easy to break. We have lofty ideas of what we can accomplish, but reality floods in and our best intentions get carried away on a rushing stream of busyness and forgetfulness.

As we ponder what our year will hold, we often look at our own shortcomings. These flaws, whether large or small, seem glaring to us. Frequently we cannot see our lives as being okay when these areas still seem before us.

While it is not a bad thing to want to improve ourselves, we need to take time to focus on what God would have our new year look like. He clearly states His expectations in the book of Ezekiel:

“Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.” (Ezekiel 18:31a NIV)

On first glance, this passage sounds majorly difficult. My list of offenses I’ve committed in my life is a long one. How on earth do I get rid of that list? It hangs around me like a huge weight. I hurt as I consider all that has not gone well with my life and the poor choices I have made.

The key lies in the second part of this verse – “get a new heart and a new spirit”. I am all for that one. What a blessing to have a clean heart and a fresh and lively spirit. But how?

Well, there is no way that acquiring this newness is attainable on our own. Just like our easily broken new year’s resolutions, our desire for a cleansed heart and spirit easily gets sidetracked with our own efforts. Only God has the power to give us a new heart and spirit – we are powerless to do so.

We are called to look to God and trust in the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to bring faith and its fruits. Our redemption (new heart) is the result of our repentance for our sins and believing that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to save us.

The cool thing is – when we repent of our sins, the slate is clean. God wipes them off the books forever. While we might dwell on past indiscretion, God does not if we ask Him for forgiveness.

Dear friends, I hope that you will journey with me in this new year to explore how God brings us new hearts and spirits. May we work together to seek His will through His Word and His people.

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