A common New Year’s expression is “out with the old, in with the new.” The New Year is a great time to take stock, make a new start, and resolve to do better in our lives. Since God specializes...
A common New Year’s expression is “out with the old, in with the new.” The New Year is a great time to take stock, make a new start, and resolve to do better in our lives. Since God specializes in new beginnings in the Bible, I thought we could look at some verses that would encourage you in this New Year.
New beginnings can mean a fresh start- a new job, a move to a new city, a new relationship, or even a new phase of life. Some of you thrive on starting fresh and the thrill of what unknown adventures await. Others love and crave familiarity and feel frustrated and stressed with all things new.
Fear not! (as God would say.) He has support, encouragement, and strength for any new beginning you are contemplating.
Bible Verses about Starting New
He shows us through Scripture how He defines “new” and the difference it can make in our lives (the bold italics you see are mine.)
God of New Beginnings
God specializes in new beginnings! We see Him work in many people’s lives in the bible. He restored Job, forgave David, and turned the chief persecutors of Jews (Saul) into Paul- one of His greatest apostles.
What might He do in your life?
Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
God is telling the Israelites that despite all their spiritual failures, His mercy abounds to them. He will bring them back from their captivity in Babylon and pour out His love on them.
God was taking them on a new journey. He had made a way for them before when He brought them out of Egypt and He would do it again, but in a new way.
God promises new beginnings for us, too. He didn’t want the Israelites to stay stuck in the past; discouraged and lost. He doesn’t want us to do the same either.
God can create rushing rivers in our dry wastelands and clear paths through our darkest forests.
Reflection: Think of a time when you were discouraged, stuck, or lost. Can you see how God worked out the details?
Look into your present life and see what fresh path God is forging for you.
His Mercies are New Every Morning
I love this promise and praise God for it every morning. There is no sin that He will not forgive; His love is greater. His mercies are new. Every. Single. Morning.
He doesn’t tire of us coming to say, “Forgive me! I screwed up again!” Who else but God loves like this??
Lamentations 3:22-23
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” ESV.
To lament is to “cry out in grief.” The prophet Jeremiah was lamenting the great sins of Jerusalem. But in the above verse, he finds a ray of hope during his deep sorrow.
Reflection: God’s mercy is described as His enduring, forever love for us. At the center of His mercy lies His forgiveness.
How has His mercy changed you?
Do you remember the story Jesus told of the unmerciful servant? (Matthew 18:21-35) He had his own great debt canceled but refused to show the same mercy for someone who owed him a pittance. How does this change how you show mercy to others?
Spiritual New Beginnings
Becoming a child of God is the ultimate new beginning, fresh start, and clean slate! It is a daily transformation; we are a work in progress!
So what happens when we experience this spiritual rebirth?
2 Corinthians 5:17
““Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
I love the excitement of this verse! When we become Christians, we are completely new creations.
We don’t transform into rehabbed versions of our old selves or simply gain more head knowledge of Jesus. We are new creations on the inside; Jesus placed His Holy Spirit within us.
We’re not just turning over a new leaf; we are abandoning the old things from our old life. Our purpose is to please Jesus, not ourselves.
Ezekiel 36:26
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
This is a promise of spiritual transformation. He will work on us from the inside out.
A human heart of stone can be stubborn, inflexible, and lead us in our own way. But a heart of flesh is tender and responsive. It is pliable, accepting of the work and convictions of the Spirit to follow Him.
Jesus spoke of this same spiritual transformation when He met with Nicodemus-
John 3:3
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
When Jesus spoke about this new birth, He was getting right to the essentials of our faith. This was a personal and new covenant, a spiritual rebirth. He invites all to participate.
Living a better life doesn’t gain us entrance into the Kingdom of God.
The “Kingdom of God” was not a physical kingdom, but the transformation of our hearts and minds. It is there that He reigns.
What is New Life in Christ?
Our new life in Christ doesn’t mean we are sinless. Rather, we have the Holy Spirit to convict us and lead us to live differently and more like Jesus every day.
Our old life is our old nature- pride, bad habits, self-reliance. The new life is full of the delights of God and his love, promises, and new mercies.
Our purposes and desires are new. We see the world through fresh eyes- His.
We don’t have to rely on our own strength, but on the strength of the Holy Spirit living in you and by God-given grace.
A new desire burns inside us. We have the divine nature of God living within us to empower and guide us.
Reflection: How often do you think about the Holy Spirit living within you?
Until I started praying for God to fan His flame inside me, I didn’t give it much thought. It’s a key piece of our acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It’s a gift with immense power.
What action can you take to fan the flame of the Holy Spirit in your life?
Pin me for later!
New Nature
What does it mean to have a new nature in Christ? Jesus empowers us by imparting His divine nature within us. He helps us to be more like Him.
Ephesians 4: 22-24
“You were taught, with regard to our former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
This is a great companion verse to the Corinthians verse above. We should put our past behind us and leave our old desires and impulses behind.
Think of it as going through your closet and throwing away all the old clothes with rips and stains. We are going to “change into” a new set of clothes, clean and spotless.
We throw away our old life and begin the journey of our new life in Christ.
Think of the new pathways God is forging for you! It will be a process; Satan will work hard to turn us back into our old selves; especially in difficult times.
Our job is to change our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions for the better. God gives us a new nature, but it is up to us to choose to resist sin.
Reflection: This is our call to holiness (sanctification). It’s becoming more like Jesus daily. Paul says to put on your new nature.
Think of the things you need to “throw away” and what positive things you can replace them with.
Becoming a New Creation in Christ
Our newly created self hates the sin we fall back into. Those impulses and temptations are part of our lives.
But the result is different for us now. Instead of feeling indifferent, we are sorry and disappointed with ourselves when we sin.
God longs to make us new every day. Our transformation comes solely through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus.
1 Peter 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Our new birth gives us a living hope- the assurance of our salvation; a gift from God! This is not wishful thinking- “I hope I get a raise“, or “I hope I find love.” These are situations that depend on circumstance.
Our future in Christ is secure and we can live with the eager and expectant hope of our life to come.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
He knows our future, and He fills it with hope! He will see us through and be with us in every step.
New Beginnings for the New Year
Here are some Bible verses for your New Year’s resolutions to assist and encourage you in your new beginnings. Try picking one of these verses that speaks to you and write it down, save it, dwell on it, and maybe even try to memorize it (I know, it’s hard for me, too
- but it’s so worthwhile!)
•Guard your heart
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 NLT
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 ESV
•Grow strong in God’s word
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12
And one of my personal favorites: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
•Worship
“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Psalm 95: 1,2,6
“Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” Luke 4:8
•Prayer
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Blessings for the New Year!
AnnMarie
Would you like a printable page with the reflection questions from this post? Click on the image below to take you to the free pdf file.
Photo Credit: Canva
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