Seventh-day Adventist® Church

New Beginnings: A New You!

It seems like just yesterday that everyone was longing for 2020 to come to an end and anticipating great things for 2021. However, in came 2021 and it seemed like a continuation of 2020, only on a grander scale, with insurmountable cases of COVID, increased deaths, conflict over mandatory vaccines and testing, more disruptions to the education system, a continued downward spiral of the economy, travel restrictions, loss of jobs and the list seemed endless. In the midst of all this there was talk about this being the “new norm” and not the new beginning we were all desiring to have.

So, what does this mean for 2022 and beyond? How can we achieve that new beginning? I dare say that the answer is up to us, with the help of God. Permit me to explain. Recently, my entire family and I were ill. At one point, it seemed as if my husband was not going to survive. Doubt, fear and anxiety overwhelmed us, but as instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 we prayed fervently and praised God even during our illness. My church family and friends also kept us in their constant prayers and slowly but surely, we all recovered. It was as if God had given us a second chance, an opportunity to start over and so we decided to do many things differently. We were going to take our Hezekiah experience and live it to draw closer to God, family and friends. Our new beginning as a family means we spend more time together in family devotions, praying, taking walks, going for country drives and to the beach, and communicating more, to mention a few. God promised in Romans 8:28 that all things will work together for our good and He kept this promise. He used our illness to gave us a new perspective as to what is important in life and a new purpose as to why we were placed on this earth. As a result, my family began the process of transforming into a new creation.

Becoming a new creation means becoming a new person with a new perspective and purpose. I am challenging us to do just that for 2022. Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, aim for a fresh start or new beginning, and strive to become a new creation.  Instead of having a pessimistic view because of all that seems to be going wrong, aim to see the good in every situation, even when things seem hopeless. For example, rather than focus on all the doom and gloom associated with COVID, think of the positives that have resulted, like having more time to spend with God and family, or time for self-improvement activities such as learning a new skill or language, also the fact that as a result the Gospel is being spread rapidly via the Worldwide Web.  I encourage us to endeavour to change our perspective, thus achieving better outcomes in our lives.

In addition to changing our perspective, our journey to new beginnings require that we ask God to instil in us a new purpose. We need to acknowledge that we are here for a greater purpose other than achieving any temporal goals we set for ourselves. Our purpose in life should be centred around God’s plans for us. He declares in Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you, … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV) According to Isaiah 43:7, 21 and John 4:23 God created us to worship Him, but what about His plans for you as an individual? Ask God to reveal to you His purpose for your life, find out what He wants you to do and where He wants you to go, then trust Him to direct your path and obey Him. (Matthew 7:7; Proverbs 3:6)

Now armed with your new perspective and new purpose, you can be transformed into a new being -  free from negativity, no matter the circumstances; stronger because of trials, temptations, challenges, mistakes and proud to own the scars because they are proof that healing and victory have taken place; an overcomer; a forgiver of self and others;  ready to share God’s goodness with everyone; possessing a clean heart and a right spirit that could only come from God (Psalm 51:10); that being He created you to be in the beginning, transformed into His likeness. (Genesis 1:26).

I implore you, by the grace of God, to become that new you and live your best life ever. Here’s to New Beginnings.