Article

New Year, New Possibilities: Trusting God for what’s ahead. 

Praise be to the Lord! What a good God we have who has looked after us and kept us safe during 2024. Let us allow God to intervene within our hearts for 2025. 

Philippians 3:13-14 - 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV) 

The phrase ‘new year’ exemplifies to new beginnings, new journeys, new changes and goal setting for the rest of the year. It brings a fresh opportunity to reset, realign and reimagine our lives. From the lessons we may have learnt from the previous year we tend to not repeat those mistakes and change for the better. Our journey with Christ is known to be a continual growth and transformation. 

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippians to share his own experience with expectation while leaving behind the past. He gives a powerful insight for how we can look forward for this year and new possibilities. 

Letting go of the Past:

I touched on this in a sermon on the final week of 2024. A reminder for you all that the past year has been filled with success, struggles, lessons and memories but in Philippians 3:13 it says ‘Forgetting what is behind.’ The New Year gives a divine invitation to let go of things that have weighed us down. The pain or pride of yesterday cannot be allowed to rob us of the opportunities that God is opening before us today. 

Pressing Forward with Purpose: 

In Philippians 3:14 ‘straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.’ The New Year calls us to press forward towards the purposes God has for us. It’s not about making resolutions but about living intentionally for God’s glory – to strive towards the high calling he has placed in our lives to glorify. The question for 2025 isn’t ‘what do I want to achieve in 2025?’ it should be ‘What does God want to achieve through me in 2025?’ Listen closely to God’s voice and follow his guidance and take bold steps. 

Trusting God for New beginnings:

A new year can occasionally feel daunting. The New Year is filled with uncertainty, 2024 may have left us exhausted discouraged and uncertain of what is it to come. But God specialises his new beginnings. Jeremiah 29:11 11 for I know the plans I have for you,â€� declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) 

As we enter this year, let us forget what’s behind, press forward with purpose, and trust God for new things he is doing in our lives. The best is yet to come 

May this be a blessed year to you all! 

Prayer: 

Lord, as this New Year begins, I choose to be sensitive to your voice and resolutely committed to doing your will. 

Written by: p.abi.