Gratitude Paves the New Year with Hope

 By: Donna Bucher

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13 NIV

Eagerly anticipating a new year with Hope comes easy for most everyone in the waning days of December, even well into the early days of January. 

But how do we maintain a hope-filled walk when the excitement wears off or worse, when the path becomes rough and uncertainty whispers?

"Out with the old and in with the new" pushes us ahead with little reflection on how we arrived to this moment of transition. Leaving lingering thoughts that the "old" has no value, while the "new" offers everything we want.

 Apart from valuing experiences and lessons from the past year, a hope-filled embrace of the New Year remains elusive.

 

Taking a backward glance before stepping into the New Year opens your eyes to God's work in your life, the lives of others and your world. Observing more clearly instances of His mercy, grace, love, provision and faithfulness, perhaps overlooked initially.

Intentional time for reflection on God’s Presence throughout the past year, creates space for gratitude which sets off a chain reaction leading to Hope.

 

Gratitude flows freely for the pleasant, abundant blessings. Giving thanks to God in the midst of hardship and distress feels almost unnatural. The ability for offering thanksgiving to God in adverse circumstances, comes only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gratitude not only touches everything, it changes everything it touches.

 

Gratefulness issues forth as praise to God, releasing an aroma of thankfulness, which transforms others, our circumstances and testifies of God's goodness to all. More than affection resulting from God's good provision for me, thankfulness is in fact a discipline. I must choose gratitude, fighting for sight of God's goodness in the darkest times.

Intentionally choosing gratitude along the hard paths, fills my heart with Hope.

 

Hardship and distress birth gratitude. While the past two years of COVID offered much in the way of hardship and distress, every year brings a measure of the same. Fully acknowledging the wonders, gifts and enjoyment of the past year along with the trials, disappointments, and losses through the lens of gratitude, you reap a harvest of Hope.

Sitting with God on the precipice of a new year, looking back from a heart of thankfulness for His presence, provision and protection in every circumstance, you embrace Hope.

 

Stepping into the New Year with Hope, demonstrates confidence in God’s going before you. Regardless of the uncertainty of a new year, the sovereign hand of Almighty God holds and keeps you. Passing time in reflection of the past year through the lens of gratitude, your perspective alters.

Evidence of God's faithfulness in every circumstance fills your heart with confident assurance of His Presence with you in the uncertainty of a new year.

 

Ultimately merging all hopes for a new year into one Hope; knowing Christ more intimately through each circumstance awaiting you. Focusing your hope on knowing Christ through each circumstance, you learn reliance on God, rather than in yourself or events. Possessing an unfailing Hope fueled by the fullness of joy and peace as you trust in Him.

May you embrace this New Year armed with evidence of God's faithfulness, and your heart centered on the single Hope of knowing Christ more genuinely, loving Him more deeply and serving Him more fully.

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