Good morning. I know that we are now a week and a half into 2022, but I think that this thought bringing great advice into the New Year may still be of value. I would like to share a passage of scripture that contains the best advice I’ve ever read for starting a New Year. Actually, it is great advice no matter what the date on the calendar may be, but the New Year gives me a great excuse to share it. Consider please what the apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:12-14: The context of this passage is the apostle telling us of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord of his life. He tells us that it is his one true goal to better know Christ. This means knowing Him in the truth of His suffering and death as well as the wonder of His resurrection. In so knowing Christ, the apostle tells us that the certainty of eternity is his. But he wants us to know that this oneness with Christ is a process, not a simple one-time decision. He is, he seems to tell us, a work in progress, as are we all.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have yet made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The key verse that I would like to encourage for consideration in the light of a New Year just begun is what we read of Paul’s intended process in drawing closer to his Lord Jesus. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The first thing that is required for victory in this New Year is to let go of the one just past. This shouldn’t take a lot of convincing, at least not for most of us. The thing is, 2021 may have been an improvement upon 2020, but that would be a very low standard to shoot for. 2021 had its own issues and was challenging.
Sure, I could make a list of all the things about 2021 that I found disappointing, but that would defeat the purpose of Paul’s excellent advice. We need to forget all of that.
It is time to forget whatever disappointed you. It is time to forget any pain, sorrow, failures, hurts, and mishaps. It is time to forget your sins. Now, the only way to successfully do that is to give them to Christ and let Him nail them to His cross. When you do that, God takes your past sin, throws it away as far as the east is from the west, and remembers it no more. (Psalm 103:12) You could choose to carry the injuries of the year past with you into this New Year, but why would you? What benefit is there in doing such a thing? What blessings will come from purposefully carrying burdens? Has someone hurt you? Forgive them. It is your only path to freedom and joy in this New Year. Has something you hoped for not yet materialized? Have you considered God’s will, but also His timing? God, our Father of abundant and perfect love, will say “no” when that is right answer. He also may have said “yes, but not now”. Have you disappointed yourself through a repeated failure in your life? Give it up and give it away. Take the needed steps for true repentance. The Lord is eager to take those burdens from you. (Matthew 11:28-30)
But letting go of the past isn’t going to be enough to find success in this New Year of 2022. Remember our passage: But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We need to recognize the prize. There is eternity waiting, but there is also a life without the chains of slavery to sin. When we recognize the goal, we need to strive for it. The image Paul uses is a runner nearing the finish line and leaning forward to cross the line and claim the victory.
The prize is waiting. The New Year has promise and potential. Now, may we all forget what is behind and strain toward the prize ahead and claim His victory in this New Year!
Vern